Yukihana
by JAGray000
Summary: After Sakura's mission goes haywire her world is thrown into darkness. She is labeled MIA, years later they believe they've found her. A changed person and stronger than anyone could have predicted. But why is she claiming to not know her former allies?
1. Yukihana Prologue

Yukihana Prologue

_They say the first ninja was not of our world. That the first full-blooded ninjas to walk the earth came from outer-space. Century's ago the Uchiha clan came into existence as the the first ninja clan. As law, there is an equal and opposite reaction to every action. When they came into existence a sister clan was formed._

_The clan came about as the Uchiha's social and bloodline opposites, because of this they were believed to die out in the early stages of the ninja formations. The world was too abominable for them to survive unlike the Uchiha who thrived on the lands evil._

_A rumor was made that the Byakugan was the Uchiha's age old sister clan and it has been widely accepted among the nations since then. Though the real sister clan never died out, they lived in solitude away from shinobi. Nearer modernization but still keeping their distance as they lived in hiding._

_No records have ever been kept nor descriptions, over time they have been erased from history. They specialize in water, wind and a portion of earth elements as their brother clan holds power over fire, lightning and portions of earth elements. The only thing they have in common is that they are both lineages on the verge of dieing out._

* * *

A woman stood on the cliff side facing the sea. The wind howled around her form, the edges of her cloak whipped back and forth in a torrent of movement. The chalky dust from the cliff was lifted from its crevices in the harsh winds causing a blanket of mist every few moments behind the eerie woman.

She stood like a stone, looking like a statue that had been there since time began. Her form was covered. High black boots, slightly heeled with an open toe. A long streamline hooded cloak adorned her destructive figure. Unique eyes hidden behind the over hanging hood and her slender jawline covered by a faded, black mask. Much like the one a departed mist exile, Zabuza once wore.

She was a closed book, shrouded in a heavy fog of concealment. This was The Child of Winter, rumoured to hold the clan leader Yukihana bloodline limit of a deceased clan.

All those fighting among each other below her on the shoreline stood frozen. They did not know what to expect. She was rumored to decimate armies without the aid of her associates. Though those were just chilling rumours told as ghost stories for grown-ups in army camps.

It was the calm before the storm. Silenced raged and doubts buried themselves in enemy minds as she stood unmoving atop the cliff face. She merely watched mutely as hundreds of faces studied her unemotional demeanor.

She walked leisurely over the cliff. Jumping at the edge of it with apparent lightness. For the lightness of her touch, she seemed to be propelled miles before slowly falling in a graceful stance as her coat flickered madly behind her.

And then what they dreaded came. Swooping under the womans feet was just one of her deadly weapons. Even her own familiars stood with agape mouths as the boss sized summon came in for the kill with her atop its pristine back.

Not affected by the terse movements of the animal, her face remained unmoved as men and women dived out of the way for the fight to come.


	2. News

Yukihana  
(Snow Flower)

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto, This fanfiction has been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

**Summary:** After Sakura's mission goes haywire her world is thrown into darkness. She is labeled MIA, years later they believe they've found her. A changed person and stronger than anyone could have predicted. But why is she claiming to not know her former allies?

* * *

Chapter One: News

(Set around the time that Naruto has come back from his training with Jiraiya)

The room was dark. Sakura could barely make out the outlines of the sparse furniture littering it.

This was a place she knew well, it was her house. The heating and lighting had been shut off days earlier before she got back from her mission. The house was empty save for herself. She could smell the scent of death, one common for her. She was medic-nin and a kunoichi, she knew it like the back of her hand. Never had she ever wanted to associate it with her home or contemplate it grasping someone close to her. Death was everywhere, everyone who was alive would die one day. Including herself, including someone she knew. It just happened to be the latter.

Every step up the stairs was ear-splitting. Each screech, groan and creek under her weight seemed louder than ever. Her room was bare. She separated the worn pink curtain than hung limply over her window. The moonlight was a welcoming sight to her strained eyes. She turned to leave. Stilling lightly she saw a box in the corner. It looked like someone had just thrown the contents into it, it wasn't even sealed. Picture frames, albums, drawings, and various other items. Peering into the box she took one out, a photograph, and looked over it. Her mother and father. Her mother's muted peach coloured hair and eyes the colour of clear honey were on her father. His hair was jet black and he had bottle green eyes, more striking than Sakura's jade ones. They looked around twenty. It was probably taken just weeks before he passed away. She placed it back down, shut the box and took it away with her.

The civilian bankers wouldn't get any money for it, besides they already had her entire inheritance, she wasn't going to let them have her memories. Her mother had left this world in a deep state of debt, one that Sakura didn't know she was in.

She left for a mission and was called back early. Her mother had died and everything in her name was taken.

Sakura hadn't broken down and cried, she hadn't cried at all, she couldn't. She felt nothing, she was numb. She had supported her even when she wanted to be a kunoichi and never let onto any money problems. She felt bad that she felt nothing and felt even worse when the slight feeling of relief edged onto her.

Her mother had been slowly dieing from a heart defect and had lived much longer than predicted.

Sakura shut the red painted door for the last time, locking it and placing the keys under the mat.

It was dark out and the night air was frigid. Her goosebumps increased more than when she was in the house. Bright lights of pubs and restaurants polluted the darkness. Drunken singing, up beat music and laughing could be heard from different venues. A few people glanced at the large box she was carrying. Time didn't stop, someone had died a few days ago and the world just carried on like nothing had happened.

Looking up she squinted her eyes to look at the neon lights shaped into letters 'Half Moon Hotel'. She really needed some sleep she thought as her vision hazed over slightly. She would find a apartment in the morning and start taking on more missions. And get on with her life.

* * *

Weeks went by and Sakura was still stuck in the 'Half Moon Hotel' Sakura would only stay within the village for two days maximum, each day eyeing the roster board for new and more challenging missions. It took her mind off things and kept her going.

Any mission she could get she would take, each one with more risks. It was exciting and it took her away from the dreary feeling she had in Konoha.

Thinking back to that day shortly after her mothers death, Sakura couldn't help but feel somewhat... cheated.

Withholding information about an enemy shinobi is an act of betrayal. To Sakura this was something her mother had done, and for many years. Betraying her by not telling her something. It wasn't as severe as information about enemy's, but still it was something Sakura had always wondered about, and to realize years later she had been lied to, was a big deal to her. She couldn't help but feel betrayed. She had asked her mother many times, and her mother had always replied in her quiet voice, that 'no, sadly we do not have any' and would give her that sad, bitter smile.

The betrayal -and in a way the blessing- had been delivered in the form of a letter by Kakashi.

_A big plume of smoke appeared out of nowhere right in front of her. She was on her way to check the roster board and then go to Ichiraku with Naruto. It startled her and she jumped back a few feet. Stifling the urge to reach for a kunai she walked forward._

_"Yo" the smoke cleared leaving behind a familiar jounin, seemingly very engrossed in his book. Sakura knew him well enough that despite him being absorbed in his book, he was well aware of his surroundings._  
_A vain in Sakura's head ticked as she looked at the Cyclops and noted that he was still just standing there not uttering a word as he read his book._

_A woman and her child walked past, then the child walked up to Kakashi, pointed at him and said "Hey mum, what's that orange booook! Can I have it?"_  
_The woman's mouth instantly dropped open at her sons outburst as she looked at the small pocket book in question."Ping get back here, and stay away from that disgusting man!" she bit out at her child. Tugging him down the street by the hand._

_"Kakashi sensei, what have I told you about reading those dirty books in public! And would you not just randomly poof in front of people!" Sakura seethed while glowering at him._

_Slowly he took his eyes off his book and placed it in his pocket. Kakashi's only visible eye crinkled up, the only indication to show he was smiling."I thought It would cheer you up to see your old sensei, but I can see I'm not wanted" Kakashi turned around to walk away, Sakura called out to him to wait and he halted mid stride._

_"I'm just stressed" She turned her head to her feet, looking sullen._

_"You've had a tough few days" He lifted his hand onto her shoulder and patted it awkwardly. Her thoughts turned to her mother and her heart gave a sharp pang of longing. After a moment of tense silence Kakashi moved his hand to his side._

_"Sorry"_

_Sakura's eyes widened, she didn't know if he was sorry for poofing up in front of her, reading dirty books in public, or saying sorry about the death of her mother._

_Kakashi reached down to his trouser pocket and supplied her with a marked envelope. In twisting cursive writing it read – To Sakura, to be opened upon my passing._

_Her hand went clammy and she could hear the thumping of blood rush through her head. A letter from her mother. Just for her. She went to shred it open with the eagerness of a staved dog to a piece of meat. When she remembered Kakashi. but when she looked up he was gone. He must have seen the intense look on her face and left her to her own devices. Or more likely just left since he had delivered the envelope._

That exact letter was kept close to her heart, literally. She had kept it in the inside pocket of her vest since that day. She guessed Kakashi had read it, if he told it's contents to anyone and they asked her for it, she could just say she had lost it and they wouldn't find it.

* * *

Sakura woke up to the sounds of knocks at her door. The sun was just creeping up over the horizon in an eerie pink glow. She took a big inhale, taking in the unusual scents of her bed and room, -a sickeningly sweet vanilla smell- and choked slightly.

She scrunched her eyes shut and stretched herself out until the knock sounded again. Grudgingly she flipped the cover off. Sakura opened the tacky white door to see the chuunin there, he was one of the many chuunin's that she'd seen around the hokage tower doing mundane jobs. Brown hair, brown eyes and a runny nose.

"Haruno Sakura?" he muttered out as he wiped his nose clean with his sleeve.

"That's me"

"Tsunade-sama wishes to see you" he sniffled

"Ok, thanks" with a thoughtful look on her face she nodded to him.

He returned the gesture then puffed out of existence.

* * *

"You want me to what?" Sakura's mouth was agape as Tsunade slanted her a look.

"I want you to be able to summon Katsuyu within two months" She folded her arms over her chest and turned to face her student. "Is that clear?"

"But shishou (master/teacher), I don't have nearly enough chakra to summon her!" She said a little bit louder than necessary. She was wondering what brought this up, why would Tsunade want her to learn this now?

"You underestimate yourself Sakura, summoning is easy if you have the right amount of chakra and control. We just need to get your reserves up" Tsunade scanned her over "Shizune will be training you, if this goes smoothly then I'll teach you the Creation Rebirth jutsu" She smirked at her shocked student.

"Chop chop, training ground seven. Shizune is waiting"

"Hai (yes) shishou!" Sakura bowed deeply in an instant, to show respect but mostly so she could hide the look on her face. Then slipped out the door.

_Score!_ Inner Sakura mentally paraded around in her head. She had enough money stored up to stop doing missions for a while and train. She would be learning how to summon, finally. _Just like Naruto and the legendary Sannin and... Sasuke_. She could even learn Creation Rebirth if Tsunade let her, she didn't want a diamond on her forehead in plain view, but the pros out weighed the cons tenfold. _Cha! _She would learn how to summon and get that Creation Rebirth even if it was the last thing she did.


	3. Kuchiyose no Jutsu

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto, This fanfiction has been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

* * *

Chapter Two: Kuchiyose no Jutsu

Sakura could barely hold onto the chopstick's she was trying to eat with. Her hands shook involuntarily and she could feel her eyes almost sliding shut. Her body drooped slightly forward. She could feel the steam rising off her ramen and hit her in the face. It was warm and the smell of meat filled her nose. She would just close her eyes for a second.

Scorching pain erupted on the tip of her nose and she exhaled out of her nostrils which resulted in hundreds of bubbles rising up further and hurting her nose. She pulled away as quickly as she could. Wide awake, blinking rapidly. There was a hand on her shoulder which she hadn't noticed earlier which further propelled her from the cauldron of bubbling hot ramen.

Wide liquid blue eyes jumped in front of her looking worried. "Sakura-chan are you okay!" Naruto questioned with his usual high volume level. Her eyes focused and she gave him a half-hearted smile "yeah, I'm just... tired from...hm" she let out, trailing her sentence. She doubted Naruto noticed whether she finished her sentence or not.

Bouncing around on his seat, he poked her on the nose. "Your nose is red Sakura, any closer and you would have had your whole face in it!" Naruto's smile brightened as he chuckled at his life-long friend.

"Yeah, and who's fault would've that been?" Sakura demanded. "Maybe if you weren't guzzling down your ramen, not paying any attention to me, then maybe I wouldn't have burnt my nose." she puffed and folded her arms over her chest, holding her head high, slightly more awake.

Naruto looked at her jade eyes then trailed down to her pink nose. His face contorted trying not to laugh. When Sakura gave him a pointed look, it was too much to bear. He hunched over and every few seconds muffled laughs would escape him. He let out a small "Sorry Sakura-chan" when he caught his breath. His eyes shinning with mirth.

Sakura would of hit him over the head by now, but she didn't have the energy "Stupid Naruto" she muttered. She ate the last remaining noodles and fishcake while Naruto downed his fifth bowl. She paid for her meal and stood. Naruto emptied out the contents of his pockets onto the table, most of which was pennies. A few of them rolled to the floor, some spinning around on the counter top.

Teuchi gave him a frown, his eyebrow lifting at the sight of candy wrappers and a button among the money. Naruto gave him a sheepish smile with his hand at the back of his neck "Thanks ojiisan."

Sakura could feel her head drooping as she walked and her shoulders slumping. All this chakra reserve training was intense. At the end of everyday she was like any other civilian albeit a very drained and tired one, she had no useable chakra. She was as defenseless as any other sixteen year-old civilian girl after training.

Sakura didn't feel as though she had improved much. Sure she had stretched herself to her limits everyday for weeks on ends. Something a lot of active duty shinobi didn't do, encase of an unexpected attack. They would need their chakra. They had to make sure they always had some left, which didn't improve chakra reserves.

Sakura could, because she was in Konoha and not on active duty missions. She thought being in safe in Konoha and being able to stretch her supplies would improve her reserves greatly. But from what she had seen the improvements were little and far between. She was weak.

Naruto signed his summoning contract when he was thirteen. She, sixteen couldn't even scratch the surface of the chakra amount needed. Sure Naruto was born with very large chakra reserves and you could even say the kyuubi stretched his supplies over the years.

What about Sasuke though? He never had any of this kind of training. She had heard from reports that he had the ability to summon that big ass snake of Orochimaru's.

_And her?_ She had signed the slug contract at the beginning of her training and tried to summon. Her slug was the size of her hand. She would never be able to summon Katsuyu. That was her chakra after sixteen years. Two months wouldn't change anything.

Weak, weak, weak, it disgusted her, how she had teammates that always had to look after her. She wasn't strong enough to stop Sasuke from leaving. If she had just _tried_harder, if she hadn't refrained from doing exercise so she wouldn't get sweaty. If she had just stood up and _tried_ fighting, instead of not wanting to, in-case she messed up in front of Sasuke-kun and embarrassed herself.

_If_... every time she looked back to team seven an 'if' came up.

A finger prodded her in the shoulder, knocking her out of her musings. she looked up to see a anxious Naruto. "Your really quiet" Naruto said in an unusually soft tone. It had some inquisitiveness to it.

She stretched herself out, her back made a cracking sound which made her give a relieved sigh. And she widened her eyes to take in more light. It was dark and the air was not as cold tonight.

They were coming up to the road where they would split paths. Sakura wanted to go home and bundle herself up on her freshly made hotel bed but despite the urge to do that, she didn't want to be alone just yet.

"Hey, Naruto... do you want to walk around a bit more? I don't want to go home just yet."

Naruto looked puzzled but not dejected at the idea, "Sure, we can walk around the venues near your place"

Sakura gave a small smile to the dark streets in front of them until it slipped of her face. "let's go to the park where it's quieter. Besides there's always drunks around my place." Naruto shrugged and changed course with her, towards the park.

* * *

The park was pretty at night, the willow trees swayed in the nights wind and the pond was like a sheet of ice it was so still. The birds where quiet, apart from the hooting of an owl. The grass beneath their feet was crisp, and made small crunching noises as they moved. The moon hung high in the sky, with wispy clouds lazily going past it.

The silence between them wasn't awkward, it was friendly and peaceful. Sakura had walked at night with Naruto like this before in their gennin days. Securing the perimeter of their camp while, Kakashi sensei and Sasuke either got food, filled up canteens or started a fire. And vis versa, sometimes these walks were taken with Kakashi-sensei. The ones she looked forwards to were always with Sasuke.

Sasuke would always walk ahead of her, he went to fast for her to catch up and when she did he was uncomfortable with walking together. Now she thought about it, _why would she look forwards to that?_

Tripping up over stray roots just trying to catch up, being called annoying for getting herself hurt. 'A failure as a ninja' for falling over pebbles, he would tell her. Always in that cold, uncaring tone, that made her feel at fault.

A blush crept over her face at the embarrassment she felt.

Anger throbbed through her veins, not only at herself but at that hateful boy. Sasuke had left them, but she was the idiot for feeling betrayed. She shouldn't be. She hardly new him, he was just a boy she had crushed on for a few years. She had only really even been in contact with him for a year. And then he left them.

He had been gone almost three years, that's longer than she had known him. If they met again, he wouldn't even remember her. He may recognise her pink hair and green eyes but not who she is...or rather who she _was_.

Wherever he was somewhere in the world, Sakura could bet her life that he wasn't thinking of her. As she did nearly every day of him. The thought made her very bitter, but it was reality. Even with her best attempts she had never left any impact on him. When he had left a immeasurable crater in her heart and mind, _without trying _she added in her head.

* * *

Naruto looked over to his dreary companion. Different expressions drifted over her face, but one in particular caught his attention. Naruto had been called a lot of things, stupid, dobe (dead last) and baka (idiot). Naruto acknowledged how they could think something like that because of the way he acted.

One insult he had started hearing thrown at him - whenever Hinata was around, oddly - by the rookie nine, was dense, but Naruto disagreed. He was not so dense that he couldn't notice this. Right now he was walking alone, in the middle of the night, at a beautiful park with a blushing Sakura-chan.

This was awkward. He kept walking trying to even out his breathing. This was too much, he looked right at her as they walked, peering at her in an exaggerated way. Craning his neck towards her, eyes narrowed. She either hadn't noticed him or was too shy to look at him.

What should he do? This was wrong, he didn't like Sakura-chan in _that_ way anymore. She was like his little sister. His extremely strong little sister... who could smash small mountains with her bare fist. Naruto immediately reeled his head back.

Sakura looked up at him, her cheeks were still pink and she had anguish written all over her face. Then she frowned at him with a quizzical look.

Naruto had missed his chance. Perhaps she was annoyed he hadn't made a move on her yet, after walking around together for at least fifteen minutes. Why didn't he realize earlier? _Dammit Naruto, you idiot_. Maybe he could smooth it over and she would forget about his denseness to the situation.

With a quick innocent moment, Naruto raised both hands above his head. Joining them together and stretching them out. Then giving his most realistic yawn, he slowly let his arms down one wrapping over Sakura's shoulder.

Sakura's eyes went to Naruto's hand on the other side of her, not quite comprehending. Her eyes narrowed and she turned back towards him. Naruto wiggled his eyebrows up and down in what he seemed to think was alluring.

Sakura looked up to him with a cute look, and she gave him a sweet smile before raising her hand.

Her hand snaked forward faster than the human eye could track, molding together to make a fist. Glowing in a deathly green. Before she even touched him, he could feel the air shoot past him. His back landing against something hard. He could hear a faint voice in his head saying that he would be bruised in the morning, even with his fast healing powers.

He fell to the floor, feeling all the air knocked out of him. Ouch. He flipped over on his aching back to look at what he had hit. _Poor tree, it didn't deserve to die._

Why would Sakura do that? Naruto had read his fair share of Jiraiya's 'literature' in the past (unwillingly - the pervert always made him read his drafts – he added.) All the girls in Jiraiya novels would snuggle up to the main character when he did that move.

He was sure that was the message that Sakura was giving him. That she liked him. She asked him to walk in a quiet park with him because she didn't feel like being alone and then went really quiet and started blushing.

"NARUTO, WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!" Sakura roared in an unladylike manner. Fist still blazing green.

Naruto got up into a sitting up position and started sputtering with his hands held in the air in defense with wide eyes. "You were all quiet and stuff, a-and you were like, 'oh Naruto-kun I want to be along in a quiet park with you'. And then you started blushing and junk!" Naruto imitated her voice awfully, and tumbled over his words, trying to get them out as fast as he could.

Sakura was fast approaching, fuming with her fist ready to pummel him.

Naruto got up and scrambled behind the remains of the tree. Sakura went one way and he went the other, each trading directions every few moments. "Naruto get back here!" she ground out between clenched teeth. Then made a swipe for his head and missed as he dashed round the tree some more. "Sakura-chan, calm down!" he hopefully begged.

"What the heck did you think you were doing?" she growled. Hand on hip she calmed herself down and glared daggers at him. "heheh..." Naruto said wearily, putting his hand to his neck and smiling so his eyes squinted. "erm... well, I was trying to be romantic, did I do it wrong?"

Sakura snatched him by the collar and put him in a head lock. Naruto let out a pitiful 'Eep' noise until surrendering to her vice like grip. She turned her hand into a fist and Naruto clenched his eyes shut.

She gave him light plonk on the head then let him go. "Your a baka, you know that?"

Naruto sat on his butt, looking confused. Agreeing with her seemed to be the best course of action at the moment. "umm... yes...?" he ventured. She let out a large sigh and slanted him a look.

"I asked you out here to talk to you, not so you could be all 'romantic' with me" Naruto looked thoughtful for a moment before pretending to understand "Oh." He frowned as he looked up at her. "Then how come you were so quiet.. and you know.. blushing" Sakura sighed some more looking away.

She lent a hand out to Naruto and they continued walking. They walked in silence until Naruto gave her a questioning look. She sighed for a third time before saying what was on her mind. "I was thinking about Sasuke just now" her eyes drifted into the darkness.

Two thing became apparent to Naruto in that sentence, one she was thinking about their old friend which explained her blush and the fact that she called him Sasuke without the suffix 'kun' attached.

"How come you called him that?" Naruto blurted out before he could stop himself.

Sakura was quiet for a long time and Naruto didn't feel right about probing on this particular subject. "I called him Sasuke because I don't love him, I never did. It was just a stupid crush that I had for a while." she turned to look at Naruto's worried eyes.

"Sasuke was part of team seven and we all became one big family in your eyes, but really the only person who effected Sasuke was you. Kakashi-sensei was closer to him than me."

"That's not true Sakura-chan!" Naruto burst out, then seemed to falter at his next words. He hadn't thought of them yet. "it's just that.. he couldn't... Sasuke was very close to all of us and he felt the same he just didn't know how to show it." Naruto stated.

Sakura sighed and looked away from her friend. "Maybe your right Naruto, maybe he is out there, thinking of us. Just a misunderstood person looking to undo a wrong done to him." she said softly.

"Or maybe he really has turned his back on us. I doubt he could be thinking of us as he murders countless innocent men for his Orochimaru-_sama's_ so called training. The sole reason he is out there, is to kill his brother, his own flesh and blood, because he thinks it will change things. He is going to get himself killed and he won't care how we feel if that happens." She replied with hurt emitting from her words.

Naruto's expression was of hardened resolve. "Sasuke-teme won't die. When he's finished, he'll come back to Konoha... Still, sometimes I just wish he would ask for help, he's taking too long with that snake bastard." his last words, were quieter as if he didn't want anyone to hear.

Sakura put her hand to Naruto's back as if consoling him. "You remember that promise you made me?" she was vague, but was certain he would know which one she meant.

Naruto looked up "That I would bring Sasuke back no matter what." he stated.

Sakura faintly nodded. "I wanted to tell you... You don't' have to heave that burden around anymore. I'm sorry for placing it on you."

For a moment he looked shocked "Your giving up on him Sakura-chan?" Naruto shouted out incredulously.

"No I'm just trying to be realistic. He's a murdering, traitorous, missing-nin. He probably feels something for you, the two of you were like brothers. But I don't want to see him again, because I can't take the rejection. I won't stop you from trying to get him back but I also won't encourage it." All the words just tumbled out of her mouth.

Naruto's blond mop hung over his eyes, a pained smile lingered on his lips "Okay Sakura-chan" He flipped the stray hair out of his liquid blue eyes and gave her a grin before continuing. "...I have a feeling that when you see him, you'll change your mind, but until then I will respect your feelings."

Sakura had expected an explosion of emotion, sure she could see the hurt Naruto held at her thoughts on their team mate. She had expected him to persuade her, deny her claims or spurt out nonsense about how much Sasuke cared for her.

He didn't though.

Naruto had grown up since their gennin days, it was only in rare moments that he let it show. Somewhere deep down Naruto must have accepted that Sasuke didn't care about them anymore. Although the look in his eyes told her, he would change that.

A small smile graced her lips. "Thank-you" it was quiet but heartfelt.

He raised his hand in a wave while turning around. Holding it up over his shoulder, as he walked away. "I'll catch ya around Sakura-chan." he walked off but not before looking over his shoulder to give her a grin.

"See you" she called out. Though it was muffled by the wind and she couldn't tell if he had heard.

* * *

Naruto heard a faint 'see you' before he felt Sakura's presence walk away. His face fell and his shoulders slumped.

He would pummel some sense in to that bastard. He thought he was hurting but it seemed Sakura was hurting more. He would change this, so that one day they could look back at this time and think of it as just one of life's many obstacles that they had overcome.

He held his head high, set his back straight and smiled exuberantly into the night sky. That is what he would do_. Believe it!_

* * *

Sakura had the morning off which was rare. Shizune wanted a break from the training since she had said Sakura was progressing so well. She said she would get the summoning scroll off of Tsunade and see how big a slug Sakura could summon.

Her stomach gurgled and rumbled. She pulled the fridge door open. The first thing to fly through her mind was _I HATE THEM_, she had told the hotel cleaners time and time again NOT to clear out her fridge. She let out a long, heavy, exasperated sigh.

No use crying over spilled milk. She got dressed, grabbed her card key and flew down the hotel stairs. The elevator was way too slow, a thought universally believed by most ninja. The air was crisp and the sun's rays pelted down on her. She took a deep breath and strolled down the street.

Originally she had wanted to talk to Naruto about the letter Kakashi-sensei had given her from her mother and what it entailed. But her mind had drifted to Sasuke and she forgot all about it.

Perhaps it was best that Naruto found out about the letter after she figured out if it was the truth or not.

Walking past various shops and establishments, Sakura looked through the window of a restaurant offering breakfast. Her stomach growled at her some more, telling her to go in. she looked down at her stomach and shook her head. No, she had a budget to stick to. Walking away from the offending restaurant, Sakura stopped in front of a stall to but her breakfast.

She opened her carton of milk -her breakfast- and plopped the straw into it. Drinking from it when she wanted, It was filling. She had almost finished it and some early risers looked at her choice of breakfast and how she was consuming it with wary glances. She wasn't made of money, the proper grocer was closed at this hour and the one restaurant offering breakfast was too much for her budget.

She had five more hours to burn before she met up with Shizune and tried summoning again. Turning the corner she found herself going down a familiar route. Stopping outside a very fresh smelling establishment, Sakura finished off her milk and dumped it in the nearby trash can. Then walked into the florist.

"What on earth were you drinking, forehead?" a familiar voice said to her. Ino was sitting next to the till lazily filing her nails. Her long blond ponytail was swept over her left shoulder and only one of her pupil-less blue eyes could be seen, the other hid behind her fringe.

"Nothing" Sakura replied just to annoy her blonde friend. "uh huh" Ino replied lazily.

"I didn't know you got up so early Ino" Sakura mused more to herself than her friend.

"Hey what's that supposed to mean, forehead?" Sakura smirked at her. "Why are you here? Did you come to bug me or to buy flowers?"

Sakura shrugged and smiled. "I have about four and a half hours to burn until I start training, want to go do something?"

Ino carried on filing her nails before sighing. "Can't, mom won't be back until later and I have to stay here."

Sakura puffed her cheeks and then let the air out "Fine I'll go find Naruto. After my trainings over we can spend more time together?"

Ino waved her hand about and gave her a smile "Yeah, yeah whatever forehead."

Sakura turned to leave the shop when Ino called out "Hey! Your not just going to walk in here and not buy anything." Ino got up and went behind Sakura pushing her forward toward the numerously different coloured flowers, regardless of the fact, Sakura had the heels of her boots digging into the floor. "eh, I don't want flowers" she said lamely.

Ino raised a perfectly shaped brow and pointed a look at Sakura "Every girl wants flowers Sakura"

"yeah, not from themselves" Sakura retorted.

"If I don't make any sales today, I'm not going to get any pocket money and then I won't be able to go shopping" she argued while placing a hand on her hip.

Sakura sighed at her friend "You still get pocket money?" she asked, truly curious.

"Oh shut up, it's better than doing missions" she said hotly.

Sakura wouldn't mind some flower's. She could parade around the village, pretending she had received them from a handsome, passionate man.

"I'll take a bunch of the red Victorian roses" she blurted out.

Ino smirked slightly. She went over to them and picked up six. "This enough?" Sakura nodded absently. "Sure you can afford it? These one's are the most expensive." Sakura frowned at her and held her chin up "I have some money that I can spend on myself. Ino-pig" she bit out the last two words.

"Here you go forehead, now shove off" she said playfully. Sakura waved over her shoulder as she left. Sakura really didn't have money she could spend on herself, but what the hey.

Sakura went looking for Naruto, but she couldn't find him anywhere. She ran into Asuma, he said that Naruto was on about a week long mission in Grass country. She guessed she'd just have to spend her free time alone, she thought rather dejectedly.

She skipped around the town with her large red roses sniffing them and looking at them adoringly when she passed people. When she was bored and had sufficiently wasted as much time as she could, she went back to her hotel room and prepared a vase for them.

* * *

Sakura looked over her room until her eyes landed on the box she had taken from her house. She really needed to sort through it at some point. Glancing at the clock by her bedside table, she decided that she might as well do it now.

She tossed aside stacks of papers and and various other items. Gently putting the photo albums to one side, she retrieved a bunch of books. They were all bound together with a worn string. Probably her mothers private stash of good books that Sakura hadn't read yet. The majority of them seemed to be love stories and little kid's books she mused as she looked at their spines.

The book on top was a deep red with a picture of a woman and a man separated by a stream. They were standing side by side, though their hands were joined over the stream, and their faces couldn't be seen as they had their backs turned.

It was a beautiful picture, it showed they were on different sides but still together. But should that stream be a river, would their hands still be entwined or would they be forced to go their separate ways, she contemplated. She opened the book intent on reading it, when she noticed a small handwritten message on the inside of the cover.

Dear Ume

Happy 15th Birthday

best wishes, yours forever Doku

A small paper square swooped out from one of the pages, landing upwards. It was a black and white photo that had browned over time. There was a young couple whom Sakura recognized as her parent's. They were most likely at a festival judging from their attire. She had never seen a photo of them together so young.

She put the photograph on the window sill and the book to one side, she would read it later. Going through the books she noted the floral patterns adorning some of the romantic one's and cartoon like picture's on the child book's.

None of them had any writing in them or anything for her to uncover, but one stood out to Sakura. It seemed very old. The binding's were made of a thin wood and the pages were browned and thicker than normal manufactured paper. Lacy writing was neatly handwritten on each page as she flipped through it, she flicked it back to the first page and scanned over the writing. It read The story of Yamatori, by Sugo Ensuki. Below it was a picture of a large snowy mountain, hand painted with no visible mistakes or flaws. Whoever made this was very talented she thought idly.

She easily read through the short story. When she was finished a chill went down her spine. The book was about a young boy who went to live up in the tallest mountain of snow country. He found a small snow white bird on the peak of the mountain one day. It was injured and so he nursed it back to health.

To his surprise when the bird was healed it spoke to him. In return for saving its life it promised to serve under him and his descendants for all eternity. As the young boy got older, the bird grew beyond normal sizes. He named her Yamatori because of her sheer size. Eventually it became a problem and the teenager didn't know what to do.

He left Yamatori up in the mountains, while he went to lands below, to see if he could come up with a solution. He came up with a sealing technique that could move Yamatori to a spacious winter land, that could also summon her back to his location when he wished. It took him years and the man fell in love and had children of his own.

The man went back up the mountain's to find that Yamatori had grown significantly in his absence, to the size of a small mountain. He persuaded her to use the jutsu and go to the winter land where she would be more comfortable, and she could still aid him if he needed her.

The man grew older and so did Yamatori, eventually he died, but the bird lived on healthily. His eldest son took up the possession of the now giant mountain sized bird and used her to aid him in fights against deadly enemies. Which concluded the strange story.

To Sakura this sounded oddly like a summon. Yamatori was probably the queen of the birds, or a certain type of bird. As was Katsuyu to the slugs. Glancing at one of the delicately hand painted illustration of a beautiful snow white bird with wings out stretched and eyes to the inky sky, she couldn't help but trace around its form in awe.

Katsuyu was a healing summon, in terms of ninja she would be seen as a medic. Whereas Yamatori seemed to be offense, more of a kunoichi. She was curious about her and went to the back of the book to read about the author.

It was a true story about his ancestor, it said that the summoning technique was turned into a summoning scroll. And that the strongest members of the Ensuki clan could make a contract with her. It said that he had mastered the summoning jutsu at eighteen. That he lived in Snow country to the south of the Matsu mountain. Also that he wrote this story for daughter...

_Sugo Ensuki huh?_ When she read his name at the title page she had thought his surname might have been a coincident, but perhaps not. Sakura's insides churned and her heart beat a little faster. Clutching at the fabric of her shirt next to her breast, there was a scrunching sound. She still had that letter in her inside pocket. She took it out an re-read it. Scanning over the words quickly a plan began forming in her mind.

She couldn't tell anyone until she had found out for sure. If it was untrue and she had told everyone about it, then she would be very embarrassed. She tucked it securely back in her pocket and bit her lower lip slightly.

She couldn't tell anyone about it, but how would she find out if it was true or not. Maybe she should tell Tsunade-sama and just hope she lets her find out.

_No_, Sakura shook her head, _perhaps there was another way around it?_ Perhaps if Sakura expressed her views on wanting a offense based summon that could aid her in combat. She was sure her shishou would be delighted at the fact that Sakura knew the location of a summoning scroll. She would most likely let her out of the village for a couple months to find it. That way she could scout around Spring country and try to uncover what was listed in the letter.

Mind made up, Sakura scrambled to her feet. She almost fell back down again when her legs went all wobbly from sitting down for so long. Looking at the clock she realized Shizune would be waiting at the training grounds in approximately five minutes.

* * *

She slowed her sprint into a slow run as she approached Shizune in the training field. "Hey Shizune-senpai"

Sakura noticed the large pale blue scroll on the floor beside Shizune's feet.

"Hello Sakura-chan" she smiled at the rosette and pointed her heads towards the scroll "Are you ready to try it again?"

Sakura took a deep breath, she was afraid of the lame slug she would summon. "I have a feeling it won't be much different from the last time" She said as her eyes landed on the scroll and walked up to it to begin the process.


	4. Departure

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto, This fanfiction has been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

* * *

Chapter Three: Departure

As Sakura crouched and began the hand seals Shizune dropped her façade of a sweet and sorrowful look and smirked at her back. She jumped away from the area about fifty feet away, silently.

_We'll see about that Sakura-chan _she though in her head with butterflies in her gut. Shizune felt bad for putting Sakura down, but it had helped her in her training because it made her strive harder.

A large plume of smoke erupted from the direction of the pink-haired girl and the ground shook. Shizune stepped back onto a tree limb to try and escape the razor sharp dirt and dust being hurled towards her sixty miles per hour but was hit by it, she hissed and jumped behind the tree.

Tsunade had warned her that first time summoners sometimes blew up everything within a forty foot diameter. Sakura seemed to have exceeded that and with a lot more raw power being emitted.

Sakura was unaware of how much chakra she had and probably didn't put enough effort into controlling it. Or perhaps her chakra reserves had gotten better than even Shizune had predicted.

The dust storm flew up in the sky to make a mushroom shape, which would be seen by at least half of Konoha. After what felt like ages with her neck craned up to the monstrous cloud, Shizune let out a powerful wind jutsu to clear the surrounding area as best she could.

The brown shroud of dirt and dust died down to reveal a fifty story slug, Katsuyu in her largest form. Shizune raced to the slug and her temporary student.

Sakura had her head straight upwards watching the towering being with her mouth agape. She started blinking then looked at Shizune. A wide smiled graced her lips as she shouted "I DID IT!" wooping sounds of success filtered through the air. Sakura seemed to be so happy and surprised she didn't notice the blood and scratches littering her body.

Before Shizune could smile back and congratulate her Sakura had fallen backwards unconscious. Shizune let out an 'Eep' and her hands went upwards in fright, _that was quite sudden_ she thought, before going to Sakura's side.

Slight chakra exhaustion and some damage from the blast. Shizune let out a laugh and her eyes were teary from the dust. She knew Sakura would be pleased about her chakra and ability.

She quickly healed her scratches. Then put a chakra laden hand to her forehead. It would relieve the headache she would get once she awoke.

Looking up she said to Katsuyu that she could leave. Katsuyu nodded but not before saying her congratulations to Sakura.

Shizune placed her against a tree and sat next to her. She got out one of the two bento boxes she had in her bag and started eating.

After a quarter of a hour Sakura woke up and she handed her the other bento box.

"I'm very proud of you Sakura-chan" she said encouragingly. "Thank-you Shizune-senpai" Sakura said tiredly. she swallowed some rice and continued " I never thought I had progressed that much, I figured after three years of being a kunoichi didn't do much so why would two months do anything.

Sakura finished her lunch just after Shizune. Shizune took note of how Sakura was fidgeting "There's something I need to ask Tsunade-shishou about."

"What's that?" she asked inquisitively looking to her like a big sister would to a little sister.

Sakura's eye darted around side to side and she looked uncomfortable, she didn't mind telling Shizune but she didn't want to shock her with its suddenness. "Well, I was wondering if I could leave Konoha for a few months" she took note of how her senpai's eyes widened with the news.

"Its just for a little while, it's just because I figured after I learnt summoning I wanted to find my own summon" she said uncertainly, quietly in her head she said _and because I want to find out about something because of that letter my mother gave to me_.

But that would just confuse Shizune all the more and make her ask more questions. Sakura didn't want to be secretive, it just it would make more questions than answers.

"Sakura you do realize that summons aren't found easily, if they were just about anywhere, then any high jounin leveled ninja would be walking around with one." Shizune explained, looking puzzled at Sakura.

"Yes, I know" she looked down "That's why I wanted to talk to Tsunade-shishou, I want to tell her that I think I know the location of one. It would greatly benefit Konoha if we had another summon, don't you think?" She looked pleadingly at Shizune.

She was getting into this whole summoning thing herself the more she talked about it. It was originally just a diversion for her plan to find out about the letter's content. But now she kind of wanted a offense based summon, then she would have two. More than any of the shinobi she knew of.

Shizune was surprised at the idea, her eyebrows were raised. "I think it would benefit not only Konoha but you greatly. What I want to know is how do you know where a summoning scroll is?"

"Come on I'll explain it to you with Tsunade-shishou" She got up and motioned with her hand for Shizune to follow. "Although we need to stop at my house for something" She would need 'The Story of Yamatori' if she had any hope in hell to persuade her shishou to let her go on leave for that long.

* * *

At the hokage tower, there sat a seemingly unconscious, fair-haired hokage. Her face was planted onto the desk and she was sleeping heavily. A trail of drool was on the papers littering the blissful hokage's desk. And there was a tall opaque bottle, which was undoubtedly sake, lightly gripped in her hand.

Shizune looked to Sakura then back to the sleeping woman and sighed heavily. She grasped the sake and tried to remove it from her hand. Tsunade's grip tightened on the bottle. Shizune's eyebrows went up in surprise, the woman was still very much asleep.

She pulled harder on it but she wouldn't budge. Sakura came to her side and tried pulling the bottle from her shishou's claws, but the hold only strengthened. Shizune lightly touched Tsunade on the shoulder. "Tsunade-sama , wake up" she said quietly, while nudging her.

The twenty-five looking year-old let out a grumbling snore and loosened her hold. Sakura flew backwards and landed on her butt, not expecting her to move. The bottle flung out of her hand and headed towards the wall. It smashed and before Sakura could even blink, her shishou was wide awake. Honey eyes staring daggers at her.

"What is the meaning of this Sakura!" she roared. Sakura's mouth opened and closed like a fish, she had never seen Tsunade wake up so fast. Tsunade gave her a leveled look for a long time, boring into the rosette. Then turning away she reluctantly dismissed her students clumsiness.

"That was still half full" she grumbled more to herself than the girl on the floor. Shizune cut into her ramblings "We were trying to wake you, Sakura-chan has something to tell you" Her eyes went to the smashed sake.

A tutting sound escaped her as she glanced sideways at it then back to the hokage "What have I told you about drinking on the job!" she reprimanded the older woman.

"I'm always on the job." she replied groggily, "I'm not up for you nagging Shizune, shut up" she said in a tone that left no room for argument.

"Sakura what was it you wanted to tell me?" she asked while Sakura got to her feet and stood next to Shizune. Shizune seemed to be intent on looking at Tsunade's reaction to Sakura's news. "I was wondering if I could go on leave for two months" she paused to let it sink in. "I believe I know the location of a summoning scroll and I wish to make it my own."

When Tsunade made no move to cut in, Sakura continued. "It's located in spring country at the base of Matsu mountain, with a clan called the Ensuki I believe." Tsunade's eyebrow raised questioningly, but not at all convinced. "Is that so?"

Sakura nodded and so did Shizune. She was beginning to believe Sakura, now she had read that book about the giant bird. Tsunade's eyes turned to her in puzzlement, in a way to explain herself she said "Sakura, show her that book you brought along." Sakura nodded to her and retrieved it from her skirt pocket.

She held it out to the unconvinced woman. Tsunade took it and read through it within a minute, seeing as it was a child's book. She frowned then turned to the authors page and re-read it a few times over. She placed it on the desk and looked up at her apprentice.

"Lets say they still have this scroll, that they still live there and that you can find them. What makes you think that they will allow you to have it? Or even be willing to let you sign it? Perhaps they will kill you on sight for knowing the location of it or because you dare have the gal to ask them for such a valuable item." Tsunade said curtly but truthfully. Knowing she was fully expecting a answer Sakura seemed a little lost. From the corner of her eye she saw Shizune give her a encouraging smile. Sakura took a deep breath and answered her.

"Your right they may not live there anymore, they may not let me sign it and there's a chance they would try to kill me if they felt I was a threat to taking the scroll. But I won't know unless I try, if I can't find them or they refuse to let me sign it, I'll just go back to Konoha. If they attack me, I have enough chakra control to cause earthquakes so I don't see a problem there." She let out in a pleading tone.

Shizune gave Tsunade a begging look with her eyes, which escaped Sakura's notice. Eventually the old hokage let out a long, heavy and exaggerated sigh, as if to say to Shizune, 'fine'.

"All right then, I'll let you try. I would advise you to win them over by offering any medical help they may need and by offering to teach them some mid strength jutsu you have. If that doesn't work just leave it, we don't want to go harassing ninja clans and making more enemies for ourselves.

Sakura was over the moon at the news, she really though her shishou wouldn't believe in this summon far away in Spring country. "Thank you shishou" Sakura bowed.

Tsunade waved her one hand around. "Whatever. You will depart in the morning six AM, I want you back this time in two months maximum, you hear me?." Sakura nodded her head exuberantly. Tsunade seemed to remember something and she put her index finger up just before Sakura left. "Oh wait, you finished your summoning training I presume? I told you that if that went smoothly I would let you use the Creation Rebirth jutsu."

Sakura turned her head to face her. "Yeah, I just finished it today." Tsunade smiled at the news "Good" she replied happily. Whipping out a small scroll from under her desk, she tossed it to Sakura. "I want that completed by the time you comeback, though I dare say, it's going to look weird with another person having the Creation Rebirth walking around."

Sakura looked down at the scroll in her hand. This was the real thing. Sakura was ecstatic, she bowed to Shizune and Tsunade "Thank-you Shizune-senpai for teaching me how to summon these past months and thank you Shishou for the scrolls and letting me go on leave." Tsunade grinned at her and Shizune gave her a small smile. "Bye Sakura-chan" Shizune said quietly

Sakura waved her hand over her shoulder, smiling all the way to her hotel. She would have to dump her stuff at Ino's she though as she got to her room and prepared for her departure.


	5. On the Road

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto, This fanfiction has been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

* * *

Chapter Four: On the Road

The sky was blue and the sun was shining brightly as Sakura walked down the streets of one of Konoha's neighbouring civilian villages. It was the afternoon, the birds were tweeting and the trees aligning the street were rustling in the warm breeze.

It would take ten days of intense, non-stop traveling on foot to get to spring country. Sakura wasn't a very intense traveler. She also had to learn Creation Rebirth on her way so she would probably only have a couple of weeks to find this Ensuki clan once she got there.

Before Sakura had left she brought with her; the creation rebirth scroll; the book with the picture of the man and woman holding hands, over a stream (to keep her occupied through the training and traveling) and the letter from her mother, so she could show it to the Ensuki's.

She kept the letter in her breast pocket because it was the most important and was the sole purpose of her trip to spring country. From Sakura's memory she could remember it covered in snow so thick it went up to her twelve year old self's knees.

How pure it was, in Konoha it had snowed once and the next day it was all muddy and icy. But the snow in spring country never turned like that. Everyday a new blanket of snow would replace the old. When they had left after their mission it was no longer snow county, the snow turned to green grass and plant buds.

Snow country had become Spring country when Princess Yukie took over the rogue ninja Doto. As much as she liked the warmth and budding flowers, Sakura couldn't help but miss the powdery snow.

But now she was going back there. The majority of spring country was kept that way because of the generator but she was going to the outskirts. She would get to see the snow again and the mountains closer up.

Sakura's heart clenched in anticipation. She sped up her walk so she could make it to the third village on her route by nightfall.

She would be gone for quite a while. She hadn't been able to tell Naruto because he was on a mission. She was sure he would find out from Ino though. A thoughtful frown appeared on Sakura's features.

How the blond boy shunned by everyone was the only person Sakura would go out of her way to say goodbye to before a mission, no matter how short and him for her. She told Ino when she was younger exactly what missions she was going on and when, but as they got older she only told Ino when she was going on long missions.

Sakura always wanted to be like Ino popular, loads of friends and beautiful. She thought she would be loved by everyone in the village as a capable kunoichi with Sasuke as her boyfriend and Naruto leaving her the hell alone.

Her life was quite the opposite. The three blondes, Naruto, Ino, Tsunade-sama and not forgetting Shizune. They were the only people in her life. They were the only people she knew and cared about. Whereas they had many people who cared about them. Shizune had her fellow ninja, Tsunade knew many people from her past, Naruto knew people on a global scale and Ino was friends with the majority of people in Konoha.

_Would you trade your life for someone else's? _A voiced popped up in her head. _Your only friends are Ino your childhood friend who could easily replace you and the jinchuuriki of the most powerful demon in existence Naruto-kun._ Sakura hesitated which gave the voice in her head more chance to lash out at her. _It's amazing someone like you, to even have them. Soon they'll out grow you and you'll be on your own._

How on earth she had met these people was astounding, once a civilian with no particular ninja ability. Despite the voice in her head trying to make her feel bad, she felt better. She knew all those people, it couldn't be down to sheer luck could it? She must have something about her, that made her different and that attracted these powerful beings to her.

Digging her heels into the next tree branch she stopped. She jumped down into a clearing and unrolled the small Creation Rebirth scroll. She would make some progress on this she thought as she crouched and laid it on the floor.

Scanning through half its contents, Sakura turned her head up to the dimming sun in the distance.

It seemed that you could place this mark on your body and it would drain you quite severely until it could survive on its own, but that wasn't all. The chakra you fed it must be healing chakra. The seal feeds directly from your reserves, which hold both offense and healing chakra.

_So how the heck are you meant to make this work?_ Sakura thought. It didn't seem to be the type of jutsu you 'learn'. It's was just a seal you perform on yourself and try to make it self sufficient. Sakura read on for more information. There didn't seem to be much writing left to read.

It read that the healing and offense chakra must be separated constantly. Channeling only offense chakra into the seal would kill the user and that not separating anything would make the seal void and useless.

A frown was etched into Sakura's brow. The light was fading, soon she wouldn't be able to read anything. She put it down to contemplate what she had just read.

Somehow she had to make sure she was constantly supplying it with pure healing chakra and a lot of it which would most likely be needing lots of chakra control and concentration. It was no surprise why Tsunade had made her learn to summon before she used it, it seemed that it would take up a lot of chakra.

Deciding it was getting dark, Sakura rose while collecting her scroll and headed off into the night.

* * *

Seven days had passed and Sakura was nearing Spring country. The air was crisper but not as clean as the air in Fire country.

If she wanted to go any further north she would need to get the ferry across. Many people waited for the ferry after a few minutes signaling it would arrive soon. Sakura bought a ticket from one of the ferry workers. She then went to one of the low, white washed walls by the water to wait for it.

Out of the corner of her senses she noticed a slight disruption of chakra. Most people boarding were civilians with the odd few shinobi waiting. The disruption was of two masked signatures being unmasked for a fraction of a second, most likely to perform a jutsu.

Sakura didn't turn around but kept her senses up and wary of others. A honking sound shocked her, she looked up. The ferry came into view and had steam rising out of it. Within a few moments the ferry was docking up and eager travelers where waiting at the gates in a crowd.

The few shinobi there, slowly walked over to the gate as she did. Sakura noticed two cloaked figures standing still as she stopped by the gate. They were the ones who had their chakra masked.

The gates opened and only then did the cloaked men start to move in a sedated pace. Sakura handed her ticket to the ferry worker and boarded, standing off to the side by the railings. The ferry worker was irritated as the two men took their time to get on.

They wore faded black cloaks with high collars and they each had a straw hat. One was extremely tall and of heavy build, he held his hat in his hand. The other was shorter, slight build and younger looking, his hat was tied loosely at his neck with it resting on his back. Both of them had brown hair and eyes, but it was obvious they weren't related.

The shorter man seemed to say something to the irritated ferry worker. The mans face fell and the he quickly bowed to them in apology. He slowly walked past him without a word. The taller man smirked at the bowing man before placing his hat back atop his head and following his partner.

It seemed they had the attention of the shinobi now, Sakura included. _How odd._ Sakura had a itch nagging at her mind. Those two seemed familiar, that smirk was almost shark like and the way the shorter man did nothing threatening, but made the ferry worker agitated.

The shinobi eyed the men until they were out of sight. A thin ninja with bony, angled features and dark eyes, slightly past him prime followed the two. Despite Sakura's mind telling her she would probably get in a scrape if she followed them, she did so anyway.

She walked in the opposite direction they went in, masked her chakra as best she could as she walked, then turned around towards where she saw the three men go. If they did notice her chakra disappearing, they would think she was traveling the opposite way, hopefully.

Walking down the side of the ferry, squeezed between the railings and wooden walls supporting the second deck she crept down to find any trace of them. Sakura could here some talking, though muffled by the sound of waves hitting the boat.

She took a step, the wood below her let out a soft screeching noise. _Shit. _The talking stopped abruptly.

Not because of her though. The bony man from earlier had a fist in his gut, he was bent over with his eyes wide open and mouth agape in pain.

The man was kicked in the air with an incredible force. As he was coming back down a fist reeled back then came at his head and punched him away from the ship. The man fell over board and hit the water with a smacking sound.

Sakura froze, she knew these two were dangerous. Hoshigaki Kisame, that's who the tall man looked like _if Kisame had brown hair and eyes and didn't look like a fish_. He was an Akatsuki from the bingo books. Naruto had met him once, his partner was Uchiha Itachi. Sakura couldn't jump to conclusions, it looked like him but it most likely wasn't. Still, that didn't mean these two weren't dangerous.

Deciding to turn back and sprint away as fast as she could, she pivoted her foot to twist round without making a sound. Before she could even put weight on the foot she was going to privet on. A bloody kunai was at her throat.

The big bear of a man was a breath away behind her with his hand steady at her neck. There was a kunai between his fingers, so when it was in a fist, it would stick out. _Oh god_. Glancing at the railing she noticed blood. This large man had punched the other ninja in the head with a kunai which meant he was dead.

_Get away Sakura_. Sideways, a wall and water. Downwards floorboards. Backwards, giant man with kunai. _Forwards it is then_. Just as the thought had formed, the smaller man walked in front of her almost leisurely.

"Looks like another one wants to fight." The tall man smirked with excitement. The shorter man had his eyes closed, half opening them, he gave the bigger man an unreadable look. Sakura warily glanced around, _well that only left upwards then_.

Her eyes caught the smaller mans and their eyes locked for a second as she contemplated getting out. For a fraction of a second she swore she saw a glint in his eyes, either he could read minds or her body movement was open like a book. He made no move to stop her or warn his partner.

Sakura pumped her foot with chakra and kicked into the floorboards and on one of the man's foot. Some of the floorboards splintered and caught her skin. The tall man was cursing and fuming jumping on one leg.

Sakura was flung in the air from her powerful jump and just as she was about to reach the second deck. A giant paw gripped her leg and pulled her back down. She hit the floor heavily, having the air knocked out of her she let out a moan.

The man furiously stared at her with his beady eyes, taking a second to breath and calm down. "Your going to pay for that bitch." he said with barely controlled rage. For a second he flickered, Sakura thought perhaps his rage was making him turn to flames. Genjutsu, he had a genjutsu activated, as well as masked chakra.

Ready to scramble away the man went to grab at her again. Catching her at the collar. "Enough" a firm voice came from the slight man that Sakura had almost forgotten about. Inclining his head to behind them. "Your attracting attention."

"Just let me throw this little pinkette over board." as he lifted his arm Sakura was raised too. _Oh hell, no_. She kicked at his stomach, he blocked with his other hand easily, a crunching sound emitted from him when the hit fully connected. He jumped back in pain, letting his crushed hand hang by his side limply.

His face contorted from anger to rage to excitement, his genjutsu flickered again. He smirked and just as he was about ready to rip her throat out the smaller man spoke, "If you don't stop now then I will make you." clearing his throat, he said it with more irritation than she had ever heard. And she had heard Sasuke irritated.

The tall man could see his partner was serious and refrained from doing anything. He dropped Sakura on the floor, and she went 'uph' from being dropped so close to the floor.

The smaller man's eyes bore into hers with more intensity than molten larva "Leave" he bit out calmly.

Sakura got to her feet, not turning her back on them walked backwards to the civilians. The two kept their eyes on her as she left. The tall man seemed unaffected from his injuries but still looked angry at her and frowned with unconsciously bared teeth. The shorter man had gone back to his unreadable look, he didn't seem to be looking at her, but through her.

"I'll get that fucking bitch" the tall man huffed out before turning his back, barely audible from Sakura's distance. Still she shivered slightly, she wasn't going near them two and god forbid she ever meet them again.

In the relative safety of a crowd of civilians, Sakura got off the ferry. She walked quite far away until she got to the forest and sprinted off north.

* * *

Two black cloaked men with straws hats shielding their faces stood in the shadows of the forest.

"I'll see you in two weeks then." the tall man rumbled out. His beady eyes searching for any expressions on his partners face.

"Hm"

The tall man turned to leave waving his hand behind his back. "Don't get yourself injured on your 'mission'" he taunted. As he got further away, his form flickered before completely washing away to show the real man, not the genjutsu just before he was out of sight.

The shorter man sprinted into the trees, he too, let down his genjutsu. As soon as it had been dispelled he brought up another one this time with different features. He could feel the same chakra signature he had on the boat and didn't want to raise alarm if they met.

He could understand why his partner had been taunting him. They were doing the compulsory missions. Funding the organization by doing various contract work. It just so happened his choice of work wasn't the usual assassination or kidnapping ones.

He let out a sigh and a trail of mist followed. It was getting cold, hopefully he would get to the centre of Spring country in a few hours. He shivered slightly and brought his cloak tighter around him.


	6. Wood Elf

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto, This fanfiction has been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

* * *

Chapter Five: Wood Elf

The temperature was considerably colder, the blades of grass had little flecks of ice on them and the road ahead seemed to be getting worse. The nearest town was forty miles away. If she wanted a room she would need to get some more money or she would have none for food.

Be cold or don't eat, Sakura was used to not eating from all her past diets but she would like to eat if she could help it.

Travelling through the trees at high speeds she caught sight of water, there was a waterfall and giant lake glistening in the bright sun light. There seemed to be shelter there, there was an over hanging tree she could sleep in.

Changing course and slowing down, she came upon the giant body of water. The waterfall crashed into the ice covered lake and small droplets spattered upwards, making a rainbow in the sunlight.

Collecting dry wood away from the waterfall she started a fired by the overhanging tree, far away enough so it wouldn't burn the towering branches and leaves with its smoke.

She huddled to the end of the enclosure with her back resting on the tree trunk, it was warmer away from the wind.

Sakura pulled out her creation rebirth (C.R.) Scroll, she would place it on herself now. The C.R. Consisted of a simple diamond shape the colour of the chakra it is infused with.

Since the mark fed off the chakra reserves, it would be logical to place it closest to the reserves, on the stomach, but Tsunade-sama had hers on her forehead. _Maybe the jutsu wouldn't work if you put it anywhere else?_

Tsunade-sama would have told her if that was the case, surely.

Deciding to go fifty-fifty, Sakura bit her thumb, leaking out blood and placed it over the scroll. The ink glowed before draining onto her thumb. Where the ink was, it flashed and it was back again for another user. Her thumb had a black diamond on it after she had finished. She placed her thumb onto her chest, leaving the black diamond on her chest. It then faded from her thumb.

She rolled the scroll back up and sealed it into a sealing scroll instead of her pocket, since she had finished with it. Sakura looked down inspecting the tattoo-like seal. It was black like ink but it felt alive. It was pulsating slowly.

The seal pulsated faster and she began to feel a slight pain. The seal was sucking up her chakra at an alarming rate. She couldn't separate what chakra was being channelled into it. Taking a deep breath, then coughing from the pain. She regulated her healing chakra into it, and offence chakra away from it.

A sharp pang hit her and she screamed, it was painful and she almost let go of her hold on regulating it. The seal didn't stop, it sucked chakra out of her at growing rate. She lost her grasp on controlling it.

Pain erupted from her chest, her back curved forwards and she let out agonizing screams that echoed. She lifted her hands to her stomach barely holding them their as she shook, she focused on her reserves and tried separating it once more. Sluggishly they separated but the pain was still felt.

The seal returned to a normal pace and the pull on her chakra loosened to a achievable level.

Though the pain still lingered.

_What the hell was that? _The seal seemed to be functioning as it should she noted but it still hurt. _Hopefully that was just the seals initiation process and it won't be happening again._ Any more of that and it would have killed her.

_Perhaps that's what it's designed to do, if the user is too weak, the seal would kill them. That was a close call then_, she thought as she pulled her knees to her body. Resting her head on them she calmed down her ragged breaths.

* * *

"Wha'dya mean two months!" a spiky haired boy yelled at long pony-tailed girl.

"Naruto, don't you yell at me." she said while tapping her foot, one eyebrow up and look at him in the eye.

Naruto pouted, with his hands in his pocket. "What's she doing then for two whole months on her own?"

Ino looked contemplative before announcing "Sakura said it was a retrieval mission or something to go to Spring country, she also has to learn Creation rebirth while she's gone, she said. She was really excited about that." Ino told the other blonde.

"Creation rebirth, isn't that the thing on Baa-chans forehead? Whatever she's retrieving must be hard to get if she has two months, but then why would Baa-chan send her on her own?" Naruto questioned impatiently.

Ino shrugged her shoulder with her head held up. "Why are you asking me, I don't know. Besides she's been gone over two weeks so it's only a month and a bit before we see her again." she said coolly

Naruto moaned and sighed heavily. "That's ages" he complained. Ino just folded her arms. "Ah whatever, thanks. I'll see ya around." he turned and left down the street, with his hands in his pockets dissolutely.

When he had arrived back in the village he had knocked Sakura's hotel door down by accident. None of her stuff was there. Just a vase full of six, dead Victorian roses. It reminded him of Ino and so he came to ask her where Sakura was.

Ino sighed as he walked away, shutting the florist door and swishing her hair over her shoulder. A months was a long time for Naruto. More so without Sakura.

* * *

The smaller - but by no means short - cloaked man went north, throughout the night and into the morning, he would need to stop soon. He noticed a stream out of the corner of his eye.

The stream was clear and had baby salmon in it. He placed his hand into the water and cupped them to drink from it. The salmons darted every which way the moment his hand touched the still water. He paused to look at them. If he had wanted to kill, he could easily.

The sunlight here was bright and hurt his already strained eyes. And yet it was cold as well, hurting his frozen muscles and joints.

From quite away up, he heard a sickening scream which halted his movement. It sent chills up his spine but his composure remained the same. Cold and calculating. His eyes travelled over trees and hills for far away movement, but there were none.

Getting up from his crouched position by the water, he got up and walked up the stream. He would not help, he would merely watch, if there was trouble up ahead. Most likely thugs, and from the one shrill scream, whomever they were targeting was probably dead.

He didn't know why he decided to go this way, as he got older it seemed he was more inclined to see the sins of others. Sometimes they would spot him and try to attack him. He always got satisfaction from either killing them or knocking them out. To see their faces when they found out they weren't so powerful.

_How easily their roles could be reversed with their victims._

He closed his eyes and lifted his head to the slight warmth the sun was giving. The scream sounded again, or should he say screams. It was the torturing type of shrieks laden with pain. They echoed around before falling silent once again.

It seemed it was quite a walk up judging from where the sound came from. He would get there in his own time though. The birds sang their songs, calling to each other and flying with no care in the world.

He heard the sound of rushing water hitting something solid. There was a waterfall up ahead smashing into the icy lake below. That was when he felt it. He felt her chakra signature again.

He jumped up onto a tree limb and circled the area until he had a good view. The girl was asleep, he could tell from her signature that much.

She was sleeping under an over hanging tree with a fire considerably close to the tree leaves. Her face was the picture of tranquillity. He couldn't see any reason as to why she may have been screaming. Or perhaps she was put unconscious after being attacked.

Whatever happened, wasn't any of his business nor did he care. Though he noted the fire's smoke was hot enough to singe the leaves above it. Which meant it would set fire if she didn't put it out soon.

Turning to leave he looked over his shoulder without emotion, his eyes zoned in on the fire. It had finally caught the tree. _Foolish girl s_prang into his mind. She would set the woods on fire. If she really was unconscious then she would burn with it he mentally noted.

He jumped away into the trees before turning around and doing a small water jutsu which hit the burning tree and fire below. The fire flared in an attempt to live. Smoke rose off it as it spitted before dieing down.

Twice he had saved her, once from his partner. He had only done that because it benefited them that they not make a scene. She had shown she was not the average ninja. He could tell she would try to escape upwards, but he didn't know how she would accomplish it.

She managed to break the floorboards and most likely his partners foot. She _almost_ got away, if she was faster she would have, which was a feat not many had managed. Not only that but she had punched the taller man in the hand, breaking it.

How a small pink-haired teenager had managed to do that with no weapons was worth him pondering. And here she was asleep, stupidly leaving a fire going next to leaves and wood.

His eyes trailed over her hunched form. She was still very much asleep, blissfully unaware. He could kill her in an instant. Anyone could of, they still could. She had no chakra barrier up, no traps. Nothing to warn her of an intruder.

His mind went blank and his face was still. He lowered his hat more over his eyes and took off into the trees without looking back.

* * *

Sakura woke up, she had fallen asleep by the tree. The pain in her chest had faded into an ache and the seal was pulsating normal. She had been unconsciously pulling the offence chakra away from the seal it seemed. All the years of chakra control practising paid off in the end so that she could do things no other ninja could do.

She noticed the fire had gone out and that the leaves above it looked slightly burnt and singed. It was lucky it hadn't caught fire she though.

Stretching her aching muscles like a cat, she yawned before getting up and wiping dirt off her skirt.

Walking out of the enclosed area, she noticed the ground was a different colour around the fire, as if someone had put water on it. The ground was damp to the touch. _That's odd._

She didn't remember putting it out, but she must have. Or a kind wood elf had put a bucket of water over it so it didn't destroy its woodland home.

Sakura giggled at the mental image of a golden-haired, little man with a green pointed hat and bucket too big for him to hold. Then promptly calling herself crazy, dismissed the idea.

Stretching her legs and arms for another episode of jumping and sprinting from tree to tree, she decided she would get food at the next town.

She went to the lake and drank from her cupped hands. An icy wind swept over the lake sending little ripples her way. Goosebumps sprung up over her pale skin and she shivered. She would need to get something warm to wear as well.

* * *

She entered the town by mid day, the sun had hidden behind grey clouds and it was even colder. She entered the closest clothe shop she could find. It was a civilian clothe shop. Flimsy woollen and cotton sweaters in bright colours.

The young clerk, looking the same age as Sakura, was consumed in a world of her own as she painted her nails hot pink. Sakura walked around the shop eyeing the nice but impractical clothing before heading out the door into the cold again.

Almost every town had at least one shinobi shop, usually owned by a retired ninja or permanently injured one. Walking along the street there were a few people braving the weather. She asked a couple where there might be a shinobi shop. They gave her directions and she came across it after a few wrong turns.

The shop was dark with varnished wooden floors and dusty shelves, despite this it seemed well used by the few shinobi who pass this town. There was an old man behind a high wooden counter with a crooked back. His eyes were all knowing and his face was strong, he was most likely handsome in his youth.

Sakura walked past various weapons, then near the old bay window where the coat racks were. The coat racks had assorted coats,and cloaks, some hooded, some not. They were mostly dark in colour and were waterproof as well as warm.

"What can I do you for?" The man asked from his place by the counter. He seemed to be cleaning out his age-old cashier. Sakura twisted slightly to look at him "I'm looking for some warm clothing"

"Ey' Spring country's a cold place compared to Fire country"

Sakura looked startled with a how-did-you-know-where-I'm-from look, as she took out a black hooded frumpy looking cloak.

He chuckled slightly "I've been to Fire country, you have a strong accent."

Sakura 'oh-ed' in understanding. The shop keeper looked at the item of clothing in her hand, before smirking. "Those civilians dress nicer than us but it's impractical for shinobi to go about in lovely looking clothes that offer no protection."

Sakura nodded, it was as if he had read her mind. "I think it would be better if there was a balance in the middle. Nice clothing that offers basic protection" she placed her cloak onto the counter and he gave it one last look before going into the storeroom behind him.

"Those cloaks out there are old dusty things, been there for years, I try and sell those first before I bring new things out" he called to her.

Sakura heard some shuffling about and some clatters before he came out again. He rubbed his crooked back slightly with one hand and held a black item of clothing in the other. Sakura tilted her head to one side about to question him.

"Here try this one, it should be better" he unfolded it and handed it to her. It was jet black and clean.

Trying it on, It came up halfway up her calf. It was long and slim, the shoulders had a scarf-like thing on them that could be wrapped round the neck similar to the style they had in Suna.

She put the hood up and looked in the dusty mirror on the wall. The hood covered her eyes and shaded her face from view. Not only was it stylish but the outside layer was waterproof with the inside being amazingly warm.

The bottom seemed to have weights in it, so it would not move when the wind hit it, although it added to the weight slightly, it was appropriate for the weather. The man glanced over her quietly as he continued to clean his cashier. "Like it?" he said, startling Sakura away from her reflection.

She smiled at him "Yes, its lovely. It's too much money though." she slid the cloak off reluctantly and neatly folded it for him to take. He shook his head and put one hand out to push it away. "Your right it is a lot of money, but for you I'll make it half price. Only a little bit more money than that old carpet shag of a cloak" he pointed at it with his thumb over his shoulder.

Sakura had her mouth slightly agape "really?". The man folded his arms over his chest "I cant let a pretty girl like you go out in a carpet cutting, can I? I see it this way, everyone will see your lovely coat and ask you were you got it. Then I get more customers, your basically advertising for me."

Sakura knew it was unlikely someone would ask her, and that he wouldn't get many customers if anyone did ask. But he was being kind, _or perverted_ she added. She couldn't say no.

"Okay then" she smiled happily. She paid for it and thanked him immensely. He gave her a fair well and a wave. She turned abruptly "What's you name?" He looked up from his place at the counter, he seemed surprised she had spoken after getting away with such a deal. He frowned slightly and hesitated before saying in his old voice "Kiro Takamura."

"I'm Sakura Haruno, thank-you again" she said before leaving with her cloak wrapped tightly around her, preparing for the icy weather.

As she left the shop the old man's leather face turned into a smile. Most shinobi were rude, or foul-smelling men. The occasional women were hardy with muscles. This Sakura was petite with impractical bright hair. Yet despite all this, she had an aura around her of immense strength and will power. Something that was usually crushed out of the younger generations if they were weak.

* * *

It seemed she was already dangerously low on money and would have to do a side mission. The seal on her chest was using less of her chakra and would be self sufficient soon, so she should probably start looking for a side mission to earn some spending money.

She also noticed the seal was going green in colour. More so than Tsunade's, Tsunade-sama's looked more aqua coloured, but hers seemed to be jade, the colour of pure healing chakra and her eyes.

Sakura found something to eat at a fast food restaurant before heading off down the road. She went through the contacts in her head that were located in spring country. There was probably one nearer the centre of spring country.

That would be another few days sleeping outside in the harsh weather and fish for dinner. oh yes, how Sakura _loved_ fish.

There was a clattering noise and the noise off scuffling feet, along with a muffled voice that caught Sakura's attention. There was a twenty story motel with dodgy flickering lights, outside it were smokers. One was a grey haired man, hair closely cropped to his head. He was minding his own business as he lit up. A tartly dressed bleach blonde woman stood off to the side. Her eyes darted around as she unconsciously posed in a sleazy manner.

It was not those two who had caught her attention. Sakura heard a gasp of pain, most likely male.

Sakura's eyes darted towards the nearby alleyway. The overflowing motel rubbish bins littered its entrance along with stray bin bags full of food waste. "She bit me!" came the harsh whisper of a male voice. Small snippets of words and a "shh" later, Sakura found herself on edge.

A few men with a woman biting them. Sakura was in an alright town, it wasn't known for crime or prostitution, but like in any town, there were slum areas. She didn't want to know what was happening down there. But this wasn't a shinobi town and they most likely weren't shinobi. Probably just a couple of men trying to get their way with a girl.

She contemplated just leaving without a backwards glance and forget about it. _But what if that was her in that situation?_ Hardening her resolve, Sakura approached the shaded alleyway. It was brick red with unknown dirty substances on it.

The smell was repulsive, there were puddles of rubbish juice and a distinct smell of puke that had never been cleaned up. Peeking over the bags of rubbish, Sakura could see two men, one was pale and very large, he had no hair and was gripping a flaxen-haired woman with his hand over her mouth. There was another man with plain features and a sharp rat-like nose sneering at the woman.

Taking a deep breath Sakura stumbled over the bin bags quietly but clumsily. Her eyes left them a second to look at the floor and balance herself. Looking up again she noticed they were staring right at her. _Shit, they aren't civilians_.

No civilian nor thug could of heard her, be it she was quite clumsy. The only way they could have noticed her was by her chakra. _Really need to start masking it_, she reprimanded herself.

The rat-like man's stare turned into a sick smile and both his eyebrows went up, causing a series of frown lines on his hair-receding forehead. _And people called her 'forehead' _she thought with distaste.

The other man stood with his dumb stare, mouth slightly open and ready to drool at any given moment. Sakura's on the spot thinking started. She adopted a surprised look of a daft pinklette. Pretending to just noticed the rat man's smile, she artfully smiled back with wide eyes.

"Hey good lookin'" the rat man said in a crusty tone, not at all concerned that she had caught them like this. To him, she was probably just another petite girl to force himself on. Sakura giggled and straightened herself up. She scanned over him seductively, ignoring the large man clutching the frightened woman. "Your not so bad yourself" she lied through her teeth and ignored his greeting.

From looking at his stance he was at least chuunin level. Slowly walking up to him, not to raise alarm. Then scanning all around, leaving her back wide open as she spun around to look at the alleyway, to create the illusion she was harmless.

The rat man pleasingly watched her with a grin on his face, still at ease. She got closer to him and tilted her head. "so... whatcha doing out here?" she ventured temptingly. "...you don't think I could join in?" wrapping her arm around the grotesque man's neck and shoulder and purring like a cat.

His thin clothing smelt of sweat and smoke, his hair was greased back, and Sakura accidentally got some of her hair in the disgusting stuff. His skin felt dirty while his clothes where rough to the touch. He was grinning ear to ear. His friend on the other hand looked worried as he looked between his friend and Sakura.

Thankfully the larger man was not a shinobi, Sakura could sense his untrained chakra. The only thing he had going for him was his strength. The woman squeezed between his arms looked pleadingly at her, as if willing her to see sense.

The rat man noticed this. Sakura smiled evilly at the woman to distinguish what side she would take. He turned towards her and chuckled, his breath stank of past food he had eaten. "You're a strange one" he said blithely as he squeezed her shoulder.

"I think you misunderstand the circumstances, but maybe.. we can change them." he continued, but more to the the trapped woman than Sakura. Her eyes visibly widened and she lashed out, but was subdued by the large man's crippling grip.

Not wanting to see the woman get hurt, Sakura reached for the rat-faced man's, slimy, yellow toned arm. Seeming to lift it off her shoulder. As quick as her body would allow her to move, she stepped behind the man, his arm still in her hand. She twisted it behind him and pressed it harshly into his back in one movement. His face contorted into confusion and anger

Pulling it up further, his back arched in pain, he tried to swing round to hit her but she pulled his arm upwards more and harder into his con-cave back resulting in a sickening click and squelch. His momentum caused him to continue moving while Sakura still held his limp arm, his arm was pulled further. He shouted out in pain and put his other hand into a fist ready to strike.

Sakura still hadn't let go off his lifeless arm, decided it would be a good time to do so. She pulled him towards her with a reckoning force with the injured arm. Then reeled back her own arm, gathering chakra to her fist, drove it into the rats-like man's cheekbone. The large man stood against the wall, frozen on the spot, still unresponsive to the events.

_Good _she thought to herself. The man did not fall, he staggered backwards, wiping the blood from his fractured face with his sleeve. "Ouch" he said in a intoxicated manner._How the hell was he still standing?_

Sakura looked at him with surprised eyes and came at him with a high kick, he caught her foot in his surprisingly vice-like grip and threw her side ways. She lost her footing and he skilfully kicked his feet under her legs causing her to tumble over.

The floor was dirty, her hands were damp from the cold, concrete she fell on and her hip bone hurt from where it hit the floor at an angle. She scrambled to get up, but it was too late, as the rat hunched over her and gripped her neck. She choked gasping for air before relaxing slightly so she could concentrate power into her foot.

If she lifted herself up with her back she could reach him. Flying her kick forward then lifting her back, she kicked his greasy haired head, dead centre. He flew backwards hitting the red brick wall and coughed before ending up in a hunched pile on the floor.

Sakura massaged her neck slightly, she tossed a disgusted look at the now unconscious rat-faced man before walking towards the large man and captive woman.

The larger man stood still looking at his friend through the corner of his eyes. He gripped hold of the kicking woman. "let her go and I'll let you leave" Sakura said fairly, the larger man despite having seen her fight did not move. He simply shook his head like a child. Sakura raised an eyebrow, like she had seen Tsunade do many times, in an intimidating way.

He still did not move.

She sighed and shook her head in disappointment. Quickly and as painless as possible she flicked his forehead with her slender finger. The bear of a man fell to the floor in a crouch with his head facing upwards and mouth open. _That was easier. _She thought as she let out a tired sigh.

The flaxen-haired woman shrugged the man's arms off of her and timidly got to her feet. She wore a summer dress with a navy work jacket with four gold buttons to shield the cold along with a light blue, cotton scarf. She stepped around in her heeled shoes, glimpsing at the the knocked out men then turning to look at Sakura.

A light appeared in her eyes as if she had just remembered something. She took measured steps, walking towards the brick wall. Laying against it was a board. It had white silk wrapped around it as if not to get it dirty or damaged. The primly dressed woman looked relieved and let out a breath.

Sakura watched as she assessed the situation. She had not seen the silk covered board until now, it had escaped her notice. Nor has she noticed how the woman was dressed, she did not seem the type to be around slum areas.

The woman stood awkwardly hovering by the silk board, she played with the cuffs of her jacket, she looked as if she was about to speak but hesitated. She was glancing at the men again.

"Your a ninja, aren't you" she finally said with more resolve and equal-footing than Sakura had expected from the slight woman. She looked around thirty and had a business woman face, straight nose and piercing cornflower blue eyes.

Sakura nodded even though it was a statement rather than a question. She looked over the bodies on the floor before turning to question her. "If you don't mind me asking... why were you down here?"

The woman instantly stilled, she paused to look at the board and she cleared her throat before hesitating somewhat . "...Those men, they were trying to steal this painting off of me" she tilted her head towards the board wrapped in silk. "I've been taking different routes from planned to avoid them but they found me." she said frustratedly.

"Once they wake up, they'll no doubt find me again." Her face grew sullen and her eyes fell to the floor.

Cogs started turning in Sakura brain. The shinobi and thug after her didn't seem that strong. "You could hire me to accompany you to where you're going, if they show up again I can comatose them." she said half jokingly, half serious.

The woman seemed stunned and a little hesitant. "hire you?" she repeated. The silence was slightly awkward so Sakura explained her reasoning, truthfully. "I'm low on money and the nearest contacts I have are in the quite far in the opposite direction I'm travelling." she said honestly.

The woman gave a small smile at the pink-haired girl. "Well, yes I could hire you. I'm going north to the next town, the painting will be kept in a safe overnight and then displayed during the day for visitors. Then it will be taken to a warehouse. Do you think you could accompany me for a few days?"

Sakura nodded mutely. "Where is the warehouse located?" she asked, it wouldn't do much help if it took her further away from her destination.

The woman picked up her painting and held it under her arm, like you would a folder. She motioned for Sakura to come out of the dark alleyway with her. They walked out and the light momentarily blinded both of them. The wind was stronger here but at least it didn't smell.

"Have you heard of Matsu mountain? Its located near there. The main part I need you with me for is when we get to the next village, as we wont be moving for a night and a day. If Matsu mountain is too far then I'm sure I can manage on my own for the short journey." She said bravely but unconvincingly, trying her best not to make Sakura feel obliged to help.

Sakura immediately brightened up. "That's where I'm heading, the north-east outskirts of Spring country, that's where the great Matsu mountain is, isn't it?"

As they walked down the winter street, the flaxen-haired woman nodded to her. "Yes, there's rumoured to be a dangerous clan that inhabits that area." Stilling slightly, she turned and smiled at the smaller girl. "Sorry, I haven't introduced myself yet, I'm Kimiko"

Sakura smiled at her apology "I'm Sakura" the woman briefly noted her hair and smirked kindly. "Your name suits your unique hair colour." Sakura lightly tugged on her hair. "Pink like cherry blossom. And before you ask, yes it's real. Not very suitable for my line of work." She explained.

"I was wondering if it was real, but I wouldn't of asked." she stated with a smirk at being caught at thinking that. "I think it can be an advantage to your work. You're a pretty, young girl. The pink makes you seem harmless. Like you did with that rat, you can trick people." she said encouragingly.

"I suppose" Sakura said shyly. "That was some good acting you pulled on him, even me." Sakura recalled it and blushed, she had thought something else had been happening in that alleyway. Not some men trying to steal a painting. Sakura waved her hand around in front of her embarrassedly. "You could be an actress if you ever got tired of being a shinobi, or maybe in a travelling show." she continued.

"I've grown up as a shinobi and I will most likely die as one, I cant change now, this is the path I've taken. Acting sometimes helps me as a ninja but I wouldn't take it as a career." she informed her. Kimiko 'ah-ed' as she explained.

They chatted with each other as they walked idly down the town road and beaten track outside of it. Kimiko had told Sakura she was an art dealer who owned a museum in the south of Rain Country. She was lending the piece of art to another museum owner, then selling it at a private warehouse. She thought she was saving money delivering the painting by herself but it just turned into more trouble for her.

The clumsy men had been chasing her and she had some few close calls. Sakura told her they were most likely hired by someone, and that she believed after their failed attempts, they would be replaced with a stronger shinobi. Kimiko seemed dismayed at her words but soon forgot about it as they journeyed to the next town.

* * *

They made it into the designated town by night fall. Sakura was smelly, tired, hungry and grouchy. She needed food and she was in a foul mood, but she didn't have any and so her mood stayed unpleasant. _And where was she supposed to sleep?_ She couldn't leave Kimiko as she went out in the woods to camp and catch fish.

Grumbling into the silent darkness of the night about her feet hurting, Kimiko looked around for a 24/7 shop. "We'll go to the museum after we get some food." She mumbled with a great yawn. Kimiko was as grumpy as Sakura but she didn't show it as much because she was tired.

Kimiko stepped into the brightly lit shop, in great contrast to the darkness outside. Sakura followed in tow, they came out with two onigiri rice balls, courteously of Kimiko. They chewed on their much appreciated food as they came up to the museum. It had stone steps leading up to marble pillars, even in the dark, light reflected off its high white walls. It stood tall and overpowering, it was a place where only the most snobbish people could set foot, it wasn't the welcoming nor the public type of gathering place.

"Phew, we're here" Kimiko breathed out, she seemed to get a sudden burst of energy with this fact and climbed up the stairs two at a time, leaving Sakura to trail behind. "How do we get in?" Sakura asked as she looked through the tall glass doors with her face pressed against it so she could see inside the pitch-black museum.

Kimiko whipped out a key from her navy, blue coat pocket and dangled it in front of her, showing it to the tired pink-haired girl. She unlocked the doors and pushed with all her body weight to get the door open.

It opened up to a large hall with things neatly placed on walls and the odd island in the middle with a dinosaur skeleton or vase from what Sakura could perceive in the dark. Kimiko spotted the corridor she was looking for and went over to it with Sakura, once she got to it she flicked on the light for the corridor. The lights flickered then turned on in a row all the way down to the end of the corridor.

They both walked towards the end of the corridor, it opened up to a semi-large room. It had red velvet rope around one of the walls, mostly likely where a painting should be. On the left side of the wall there was a set of button. Kimiko entered a series of numbers faster than Sakura could detect.

A fragment of the wall slide open into a thin, steel enforced room with a slot exactly the size of the silk draped board. Kimiko placed it onto the slot and removed the silk, revealing the valuable artwork.

It was a painting of a young woman similar to Kimiko's age with long, satin white hair, light skin and milky white eyes with a flower pattern etched into them. Strangely it looked like normal eyes, just with a unique pattern. She was sitting on a stool in a dark room with a steely look adorning her beautiful features.

A cold shiver went down her back and she let go of the breath she didn't realize she had been holding. Something was odd about that painting. "Beautiful isn't it?" she glanced sideways at Sakura to gauge her reaction. Sakura merely nodded mutely with her neck craned up to the art work. "What's odd is her hair and eye colouring along with the pattern in her eyes. It reminds me of a snow flower, the yukihana's that grow by the mountainside to be exact." she added.

Sakura stayed mute while Kimiko locked the steel enforced room. They walked down the corridor and Sakura spoke. "you mean by Matsu mountain?" Kimiko nodded. "That's the only place the yukihana's will grow."

Kimiko shut the lights off in the corridor and they were swamped in darkness yet again. They made their way across to the glass doors, once outside Kimiko turned to lock them as well. "Do you know anything about the painting?" Kimiko smiled at her knowingly as they walked down the stone steps.

"It's eerie isn't it? Most people ask me that. From what I know, its said that the woman in the painting was a clan head to the first ninja clan. They had an optical jutsu that had opposite but equal powers to the Sharingan. Although the optical jutsu is similar to the Sharingan, it could only be held by a clan head and so it was very rare to see it, the painting is the only recorded picture of what it looked like." street lamps flickered in the encompassing darkness and Sakura peered at Kimiko it the dim light.

"What do you mean 'looked like' is it not around any more?"

"The clan head was taken captive. I think the painting was done while she was in captivity, later she died. No child has been born with this strain of their optical jutsu since, meaning no clan head, meaning no more clan and no more strains of their optical jutsu will come about." Kimiko finished bluntly. It left both of them quiet as the words hummed in their mind.

Suddenly Sakura broke the thick silence they had fallen into. "Where are we going to sleep?" she blurted out. Kimiko let out a long 'ummmm' while looking around the dark street. "I'm not sure, I'm not sure where we are either."

"Should we camp in the forest?" Sakura offered. Kimiko looked appalled at the idea. "it's just I don't have enough money, that's why I asked you to hire me in the first place." she reminded her then added. "I could camp out and meet you in the morning?" if it was possible, Kimiko looked even more appalled.

"Of course not! I'm dragging you around with me, the expenses are included in your mission." As a business woman Kimiko would not have done this had it been anyone else. Sakura was different though, she was a sixteen year old travelling on her own without much money.

_More like you just want company_ a voice sniggered at her. Sakura just looked at her before saying "ehh?" Telling her she could have free food and accommodation did sound to good to be true, not to scare Sakura off and save some money she added "But I will deduct it off your pay-off, do you mind?"

Sakura smiled at her. "No that's fine, if I had the money now I would have spent it on food and accommodation anyway." Kimiko nodded in agreement. "Now we just need to find where on earth we are, and where the nearest hotel is." she sighed.

* * *

A phone rang next to Sakura's head. She pulled her arm out of the warmth of her bed and started hitting the phone as she would with her alarm clock back in Konoha. The phone kept ringing and so she groggily got up to answer it. The tell tale voice of receptionist told her it was 5am, as Kimiko had asked of them to do.

She showered for the first time in a couple of days, put on her second pair of clothes. She kept one in her backpack, she wore a pair one day and the other the next, washing them in streams when she could or finding laundrettes in town. Brushed her hair and got out the door. She went to Kimiko's room just next door and knocked.

A crash was heard and Sakura knocked harder. "I'm here Sakura" she called out from behind the wooden door. It opened a few moments later to reveal Kimiko with one sock on and dishevelled locks of hair. "I'll be just a minute."

"Okay, well I'm going to see if this place does breakfast." she said with a smirk, it looked as though Kimiko would take more than 'just a minute'.

Sakura followed her nose, she could smell the scent of cooking food coming from across the guest lounge. She opened some turquoise double doors with circular windows into a breakfast room. It seemed the staff were having their breakfast.

Sakura walked over to them and asked if she and her friend could have some food this early in a kind voice. A leather faced woman with a tight bun atop her head recited "The breakfast does not start until 7:30 for guest." in a haughty tone. Sakura was already sitting down next to some staff members so the woman looked down at her through her nose with crossed arms waiting for her to move.

"Oh come on Jill, leave the girl alone." The man to Sakura right said kindly, he had a strong voice and he had wavy brown hair. The woman known as Jill, gave in to his words. Had it been any other of the staff she would not have allowed Sakura to stay. "The things I let you get away with" She chided weakly to the man.

The woman left them to go outside and prepare peoples rooms who would arrive in the morning, she scowled as she walked past Kimiko and crept up the stairs. She had had a hard life, she had lived through two wars, she had had children who had died in them and over time she had become a bitter woman.

Kimiko joined them on the table. "I didn't think we would be allowed here so early." she said aloud. The man across from the wavy-haired man spoke. "Ol' Jill doesn't like people not doing things according to regulations, but we don't mind." he said heartily as he consumed some more bacon.

"The woman with the bun?" Kimiko asked in a guess. Sakura nodded to her. "She didn't want us eating down here." Kimiko 'oh-ed'. "She scowled at me when she saw me going this way." Kimiko explained. The wavy haired man spoke again, "Don't mind her, she's hard on the outside but nice at heart." his face frowned as he contemplated it until someone offered him some toast and the expression was gone.

After a filling breakfast, Sakura and Kimiko headed out to the museum. They got to the to the guest lounge before something sprung to Sakura's mind. She was on a mission and should really keep her chakra masked. She also remembered what she had told Kimiko '_They were most likely hired by someone, after their failed attempts, they will be replaced with a stronger shinobi to do the job'_

If that was true then the rat man most likely told his employer about her, and her distinct hair colour, as that was the only thing people remembered about her. Her thoughts broke as she noticed a golden haired man.

She stopped to stare at him. He was leaning against a wall with his eyes closed, he was a shinobi and his chakra was masked. _Suspicious much. _She could tell he knew she was looking at him but chose to ignore her. He could be a painting thief or just a passing shinobi.

Sakura giggled.

If she didn't know better he looked just like... the wood elf she had imagined in the forest. _Yes that's exactly what he looked like!_ He wore a green top and his hair was the exact yellow she had imagined of the wood elf that had put out her fire. Apart from the fact he was taller and did not have a bucket in his hand.

Kimiko looked incredulously at her since Sakura had stopped and just stared at a blonde man on their way out of the hotel then _giggled_ at him. She nudged at her elbow but she didn't seem to feel it.

* * *

The man fluttered his eyelids open halfway to stare back at Sakura with an emotionless façade that made lesser men _and women _turn away. The bubblegum-haired girl had just giggled at him. Perhaps it was the genjutsu and the alteration he made to himself, that weren't as threatening as his usual hair and eye colour. Or perhaps like most shinobi, she had mental issues.

That was most probably it. No one it their right mind would laugh at _him. _He found it odd that he had run into this same girl three times. When he first saw her, he didn't recognize her. After some thought he identified her as his brothers gennin team-mate. The Godaime's apprentice, that's why she was able to injure his partner, she was extremely dangerous if she managed to hit you.

But in terms of skill, this girl was weak. She didn't have the stamina or chakra reserves to fight long. What skill she did have, was put to waste, her taijutsu was pathetic, that even if she could crush boulders, she would never be able hit anyone with her lacking speed.

* * *

Sakura noticed the yellow-haired man was now looking at her through half lidded eyes, _oh no, had she just giggled out loud?_

"Kimiko, we should probably get going." she said with a forced sweetness and smile with scrunched up eyes. Kimiko just raised an amused eyebrow at her and walked away to get to the museum on time. Sakura followed in tow rather jumpily. "Come on Sakura." Kimiko said bemusedly.


	7. The Fake

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto, This fanfiction has been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

* * *

Chapter Six: The Fake

Sakura noticed Kimiko had a bag with her and a roll of paper in her hand, she was about to ask her what it was, but they had arrived at the museum and Kimiko had turned towards her to talk. "Sakura the people visiting today will most likely be uncomfortable with a ninja wondering around, your attire is a dead give away." She handed Sakura the bag she was holding and Sakura looked at her quizzically.

"There's some civilian clothing in there, plus if anyone tries to steal the painting you'll take them off guard." She said in a businesslike manner but still kindly. Wow, _Kimiko really thought ahead_. Sakura knew the reason why she wanted her wearing civilian clothes. The wealthy people who would come to see the painting would look down on her for being a ninja and might start a commotion about her being at the museum.

Sakura thought it over before saying "Ok. I'll meet you when I'm changed then." _it would of helped if she let me get changed at the hotel, though it was nice of her to get clothes for me_ Sakura contemplated. Kimiko nodded to her and went down the corridor with her roll of paper.

Sakura went to find the restroom. It was the cleanest restroom she had ever seen, you could eat your dinner off of the floor with no qualms. Sakura took off her backpack, weapon holster, cloak and boots then placed them on the counter by the sink. She took the single article of clothing out of the bag, it was a light weight, summer dress like Kimiko had but sky blue in colour.

She took her clothes off and slipped in it. There were some sandals in the bag that Sakura put on as well. She strapped her weapon holster around her leg hidden behind the knee length dress. Then place her backpack within the bag Kimiko had given her, along with her clothes and boots. It was a bit clunky but it would do she thought as she placed it over her shoulder.

It was a bag that went over only one shoulder in the civilian style. She folded her cloak over her forearm and looked at her reflection in the mirrors lining the extensive restroom wall. _If I didn't know any better, I would say your a civilian born and raised _Inner Sakura complemented.

Sakura looked at her mid-length hair in the mirror, it was shoulder length. It made her look more feminine as pale, pink locks framed her face, when she got back to Konoha she would need it cut back so it wouldn't get in the way. Sakura noted the bubblegum colour of her hair contrasted with the sky blue dress greatly, but with her bag slung over one shoulder and cloak in hand she looked like a normal teenage girl.

She met Kimiko in the room at the end of the corridor, the peculiar painting was on the wall behind the velvet ropes. Kimiko spun round to look at Sakura. Her mouth went into an 'o' shape and her hands came to her face. "Oh, you look lovely! If I didn't know better, I would of thought you were a civilian through and through." Kimiko said excitedly with a spark in her eyes.

"You look like my little sister, though she has brown hair and blue eyes." She mused aloud. Sakura grinned before doing some hand seals. "I need to mask by chakra and change my hair colour anyway." and with that Sakura changed her hair colour to a light brown and eyes the same colour as her dress.

Kimiko's eyes widened dramatically "I knew shinobi could do that, but I've never seen it done. Not fair, I have to dye my hair this colour." she exclaimed while pointing to her flaxen hair. Sakura just smiled at her devilishly. Kimiko tilted her head at Sakura. "Hey, Sakura, what's that mark on your chest?"

Sakura gave a her a puzzled look "What mar-" she began but stopped as she saw the jade coloured diamond. She looked back up to Kimiko to explain. "It's a seal, if I get into trouble I can unseal it to get more chakra, it gives me power when I run out basically. She added to help explain to the business woman. Kimiko 'hmm-ed' at it.

"It kind of undoes all the effort to make me look like a civilian, doesn't it?" Sakura guessed what was on Kimiko's mind. Kimiko reached around her neck to take off her thin, cotton scarf and placed it around Sakura's, hiding the diamond. "ta-da" she said with a smile.

"People should be arriving soon, lets go look." Kimiko suddenly said

They walked down the corridor and met up with the museum owner, he and Kimiko talked for a while, it seemed they where family friends, Sakura just stood there wordlessly. He glanced at her and Kimiko explained she was her younger sister. The fat jolly man then started talking to her saying "Nyia I haven't seen you since you were a baby." Sakura just awkwardly smiled at the large but neatly dressed man.

Eventually he left to open the museum door for eager visitors. Many people were entering despite the early time. People of all ages, gender and class filtered through the large glass doors to see the limited time piece of art. By the afternoon Kimiko had gone to her painting and was answering questions about it for the knowledge, thirsty visitors.

Sakura had decided to take a stroll around the quieter parts of the museum. No shinobi had entered into the museum yet, all she could sense were untrained chakra signatures of the public, so she could relax enough to leave the painting in Kimiko's hands.

Just as she was thinking this, a masked chakra signature walked into the museum. It did not pause to look at leaflets or other art. It went straight to where the valuable painting was with an even pace not broken by any eye-catching pieces of art. Sure some shinobi liked art, like any other person, but this was questionable behaviour.

Sakura made a bee-line for the direction the ninja was travelling in. As she reached the crowd of people hovering around at the end of the corridor, she stood still, scanning for the ninja. She could not make out where it was. There where too many people and too many chakra signatures to distinguish from.

Suddenly the noise of the heaters fanning out air slowed down and the lights flicked off in an instance, all together leaving the museum in complete and utter darkness. It took a moment for it to sink in before gasp were heard and shouts about the lights being turning off. From amidst the shouting Kimiko voice could be heard, firmly yelling out. "Everyone please remain calm!"

As if her voice was the switch a humming started from the far-off generator and lights sparked on in a row down the corridor. Most of the occupants blinked as their sight was returned. Kimiko examined over the crowds to make sure no one had injured themselves in the dark.

A voice suddenly called out. "It's gone!" the person who voiced this had their arm and finger pointed in front of him. Spectators turned their heads from the man to the painting. Only it wasn't there. There were several moment of shocked silence before outrage erupted.

* * *

Moments earlier Sakura had detected the masked chakra signature in the dark, it had moved towards the velvet ropes and then made a break for it while it was still dark, but Sakura was hot on their tail. Whoever they were, they were fast. They seemed to be pre-occupied with arranging the painting in their hand than looking out behind them.

The lights came back on as she raced round the corner after the thief. The thief was male, he had golden hair and a green top. _It was him, it was the one who looked like a wood elf._ Only then did he he seem to notice her. Or more likely he knew she was there all along and chose to ignore her like she wasn't a threat.

As if making a decision he stopped and waited for her to catch up. He was overconfident, she could tell that. He stood straight with a face of stone, but Sakura could tell he saw her as weak. It showed in his eyes, the way he watched her catch up to him. He would most likely try to knock her out quickly so she didn't follow him any further.

Sakura flung her bag, coat and scarf on the floor. If he was going to fight her then the scarf would provide useful for strangling her. The man ran at her, painting under his arm, faster than she had anticipated, she charged her fists with chakra. If he did manage to catch her punch he would still end up injured.

In an instant the man swerved out of the way, instead of catching her punch and attacking her, he jumped away. _Why did he change his mind at the last minute? _Sakura had her chakra unmasked now, her fist were blazing with unused chakra.

The man stared at her from his spot a few feet away. He looked at the diamond on her chest, his eyes lingering before looking at her eyes then hair. "You look better with brown hair." He said in a monotone voice as he studied her. He smirked for a fraction of a second when her mouth dropped open in disbelief about to query him. She left herself open and he came in to attack.

He was infront of her in a second. Sakura's hands flew up in fright with her still unused chakra pumping in them. The man reeled back but it was too late, in a show of luck rather than skill Sakura hit his shoulders with enough force to push him back and drop the painting but not injure him.

_Don't let her touch you, remember. _The man mentally chided himself. He straitened himself up and suppressed the urge to rub his sore shoulders. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed her pick up the painting, about to turn and leave. He fazed infront of her appearing to come out of thin air, he aimed a high kick at her chest.

But alas like everything in his life, things were not going his way. In an attempt to shield herself from the powerful kick Sakura brought up the painting. The man kicked right through it.

As the canvas ripped it sounded like a zip being undone. Both of them stood frozen for a moment. The man was the first to recover. He took his foot out of the gaping slice he had created. Sakura's face was of unadulterated horror as she couldn't rip her eyes away from the damage. The man was shocked but he did not display it on his face.

A whistling tune could be heard coming from a nearby corridor, keys jingled and steps echoed. _Security guard._

If it was possible Sakura stood more rigid. The man noticed a small door that looked like part of the wall. It was most likely a janitor closet. He glanced at the frozen girl and the ripped painting clutched in her fingers.

In a split second he grasped her by the waist with one arm before she could react. He went to the door hoping it wasn't locked. It easily opened, and he went inside with his load and shut the door quietly.

It was dark in there. It smelt of bleach and the air was more humid. Sakura started struggling in his grip and started complaining in a harsh whisper. He pushed her against the closet wall to still her movement and put a hand tightly over her mouth. This made her struggle more and make protesting noises about the breach of her personal space.

The foot falls of the security guard could be heard at the end of the corridor. The man stood still trying his best to keep the squirming girl still. The security guard's whistling tune became clearer as he walked up the corridor. Just before he got to the door Sakura bit the man's hand. The lapse in control was all she needed to get out. But he did not let go.

Despite wanting to pull his hand away and swear obscenities like his younger brother would most likely of done in this situation. He did not - withstanding the pain like he had done for many years, for many other reasons - he stood still. His blood slipped on and around Sakura's mouth as his hand bled. He didn't care, it was her fault after all.

The whistling stopped abruptly outside the door. Sakura attempted to shout out but the man put his bloodied fingers in her open mouth and pressed himself into her even more. She moaned from the position and the blunt pain of his body being too closely pressed into hers. Her moaning continued in an attempt to get the security guard.

His lips grazed her left ear and a few strands of hair moved in and out with his warm breath that draped over her neck. She shivered involuntarily as he spoke closely by her ear in a velvet purr. "Shh" he whispered, tuning his head so his nose and forehead buried into her hair. His eyes were clenched shut but Sakura could not see that.

The jingle of keys continued and the steps echoed away at a sedated pace. The man let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. He took his bloody fingers out of Sakura's mouth and lightened his hold slightly. It seemed she had been shocked out of trying to escape.

She wiped her mouth sluggishly. It left a sizeable smudge mark of vermilion on her lower lip. Their eyes had adjusted to the light and the man couldn't help but stare at her bloodied lips, he tore his eyes away and focused on ripped painting. He took his jacket off and placed it over the side of the painting so the front couldn't be seen. Some of his blood dripped onto the front as he did so.

Sakura just watched as he did this, her throat felt dry and she knew if she tried to run he would catch her. It was as if she had gotten ten times slower, she felt sluggish and dazed. "You ripped it" she said hoarsely. He turned to look at her, ignoring her accusation. His eyes dived down to her lips again before ripping them away to look at the diamond shape on her chest.

The present hokage had that mark on her forehead. As her apprentice it was only natural Sakura would inherit her jutsu, _but why there?_ The girl snapped her arms up quickly and folded her arms over her chest protectively just below the seal. He looked to her face quizzically to find her cheeks the same colour as her usual hair colour. He looked back down at her chest wondering why she had done that, then it clicked.

_She thought I was looking at her non-existent breasts _he mentally concluded_._ He wasn't a pervert, but it must have seemed that way. He was studying her chest for a long time without hiding it. He put up his mask of indifference, like he did whenever something awkward happened.

"Not that I don't like being in a dark closet with strangers... are you going to let me out?" Sakura said with more resolve in her voice than she had thought she was capable at the moment. More footsteps could be heard accompanied with the sound of squeaky, trolley wheels. The man's eyes noted the lock on the inside of the door and Sakura's eyes went to to ceiling in prayer, _please don't lock me in here with you._

As the sound of the trolley came closer he locked it just encase. To his and Sakura's horror, they could feel a chakra signature stop, walk around the trolley and head for the door. Janitor this time and they were in his closet.

The yellow-haired man looked at Sakura's bloody lips and partially hidden painting before going over to her. He took her lightly by the shoulder and just as she was about to protest, "Trust me" he said silkily with heavy lidded eyes. Her own eyes where wide as he pressed her against the wall and lifted one of her bare legs up so it went over his hip and bent at the knee. He draped her limp arm over his neck.

The door handle turned, clicking and turning but not opening. The chakra signature stood still for a second, the next moment keys could be heard slipping into the lock. From her position Sakura could feel the man's warmth and steady breathing. The man placed his arm around her waist delicately and dipped his head down so their foreheads where almost touching.

He looked at her blood stained lips before contemplating weather to get rid of the marks or not. The handle to the door finally clicked open, bringing in a beam off light. The man lowered his head further to the girls lips. He lightly placed his lips on hers before tracing the bottom of her lip with his tongue. It was his own blood and it tasted tangy, Sakura breath hitched at his advances to cleaning her.

The beam off light got bigger until it flooded the room and the janitors outline could be seen. _To hell with it. _The golden-haired man caught her lower lip with his teeth playfully before sucking on it gently. Sakura let out a moan and her body raised further up him making the hem of her dress go higher up her leg, and betraying her mind. _Stop it!_ her mind shrieked at her. A shocked and terse yell came from the janitor he flicked his torch on, rather than flicking the lights on, which were on the other side of the closet.

The golden-haired man could feel Sakura's erratic heartbeat under her cotton dress and pleasure emitting off her in waves. Neither of them had to act surprised when the janitor directed his torch to the two of them. They jumped apart as if they were magnets with one that had switched poles. They both breathed heavily as the janitor angrily told them to get out.

They played the part of a young couple as the yellow-haired man placed the painting under his arm and left down the corridor with Sakura and without raising the suspicious of the janitor, to why he had a painting under his arm.

As soon as they were out of the janitor's sight they separated a distance away from each other. Both of them pretending that what just happened, didn't happen.

"Can I have the painting back?" Sakura tried her luck. The man merely shook his head and prepared to walk off. She speed walked in front of him to halt his steps. "Hey, just wait a second will you? What are you going to do with a sliced painting, your employer wont want it."

He stood his ground and replied in a soft tone "You ask too many questions." He sensed for any chakra signatures before going down another corridor. Sakura followed in tow. "I really need that painting, what do you think your going to do with a ripped one anyway, your employer will be furious when he sees it's ruined." she tried again

He was silent for a moment. "I'm going to glue it together" He said finally in a simple, straight forward manner. Sakura face planted her forehead with her hand with a resounding smack. "People will notice, not to mention, you've gotten blood on it." she accused. The golden-haired man ignored her as he went down different corridors.

"If you really are glueing it, then your going the wrong way." She called out to him in defeat.

* * *

She had just kissed a total stranger in a dark closet and it wasn't just a peck on the cheek. Well she wasn't the one to kiss him, he kissed her. _He's a thief, he's broken the painting and stolen it, and your just letting him, why? _Inner Sakura asked.

She could feel a good vibe from him, he was her enemy at the moment, but she felt they could be companions if in different circumstances. _Your only saying that because you made out with him _Inner Sakura said exasperatedly. That was true but that didn't mean she was just going to let him get away with the prized painting.

Sure he was good looking apart from the green t-shirt he was wearing. He made her giddy and her pulse raced when she looked at him, those were only physical reactions though. Her mission came before a cute boy, _well man_. He looked much older than her and acted it. He was too old for her anyway. When they had glued it together she would_try_ to catch him off guard and get the painting back.

For now she would pretend to be on his side. She knew a few medical attacks that could send him unconscious, the best one would be to touch his neck. Sakura spotted the door she had found earlier while she was taking a stroll. "I think this is the room" she said to the man next to her. The yellow-haired man went infront of her and let himself in, she followed.

It was a dusty room, shelves filled with cleaning products, grease, easel's and a few oil paintings most likely being restored. The man scanned the shelves with his eyes, moving bottles out of the way to find something akin to glue. He found a white tub of it and a paint brush. He went along the shelves looking for something else, not stopping in what he was doing he said to her "Why are you still here?"

_Dammit. _Sakura picked up some stray canvas roll before replying simply. "I'm helping you fix it." He looked at her then raised an eyebrow as if saying _is-that-so? _He took the roll of canvas out of her hands lightly before unrolling it into a strip and brushing glue onto it. He aligned the two edges of the ripped canvas of the painting together then placed the strip of canvas onto the back of it.

Sakura bit her lower lip to see the results of his work. The golden-haired man turned the painting over to display the painting. _It looked... it looked alright, you couldn't tell unless you looked up close._ The man displayed no relief as he saw that it didn't look too bad, he merely looked over it before spotting the blood covering it lightly in a thin film.

Sakura noticed too. "It looks alright... how do we get the blood off though?" she asked, not prepared to get an answer from the impassive man. "Hn" he said while shrugging. It wasn't really an answer but it was more than she had expected, and it showed he had accepted her help. Sakura liked it when she got a response, this man was like a big child, Sakura would talk to children in the hospital and would always feel accomplished when they began to open up to her and she felt the same way now.

They both searched the shelves before Sakura came across a tin container, with 'Lacquer Thinner' written at the top. Sakura let out an "Ah-ha" before taking it out of its place on the shelf. The man looked at her as if she was mad. "I use it to clean my wok at home, it should get the blood off." she explained.

"wok?" he repeated. "Yes, you know what you cook with." she said crisply. He nodded as he had lost interest and looked away at the dust particles in the rectangle of window light. Sakura got a rag and placed the tin upside down into it. She looked over the painting and so did the yellow-haired man waiting for her to continue. She applied the substance with the rag and swiped over the blood covering the lady in the picture.

Most of the blood came off, it came off cleanly not effecting the painting below. Sakura rubbed the rag over the last bit of blood left. _It looks as good as new, well sort of..._Sakura looked at it then glanced at the man standing passively next to her through the corner of her eye, he seemed surprised she had gotten it off. Now was the time to run off with the painting, leaving the man unconscious. All she had to do was touch his neck.

She edged closer to him pretending to get a better look at the painting. Her arm went behind him, out of his line of view. She went to place it by his neck, as soon as she went to move, his hand shot out and snatched her by the wrist. He was still looking at the painting before he turned to look at her slowly. His eyes were piercing, like molten larva directed at her. His grip was tight and hurt. Sakura couldn't think while being subjected to his death glare and eyes locked with his.

After several moment of standing like that, he dropped her wrist as if it burnt and it fell limply by her side. "Do not do that again." He said steadily, voice laden with malice that could make the even devil avert his eyes in shame. It felt like there was a rock in her stomach, he trusted she wouldn't do anything like that. Like she trusted him when he got them out of the closet with the painting not being found ruined.

He trusted her not to attack him and she felt bad because she had lost the small amount of trust she had with this stranger. But she never asked him to trust her whereas he had. So she had the right to do what she wanted, _didn't she?_ She was on a mission after all. what would he think if she just let him walk away? Weak, a weak minded teenage girl. What did she care what he thought of her, he didn't even know her.

As that thought formed in her mind something else occurred to her. "Why did you say I look better with brown hair?" The yellow-haired man seemed to contemplate it before looking at her with half lidded eyes. "No, I didn't" he denied smoothly. "Yes, you did" she burst out. _How could he lie so easily?_ He just looked at her blankly. She gave him a incredulous look. He knew her, but Sakura didn't know him, the only person he reminded her of was Sasuke.

Just like the man on the ferry. "Your that man who was on the ferry, your partner was going to kill me after I broke his arm." She accused. "You recognized my chakra signature, so when I unmasked it to punch you earlier, you knew who I was and jumped back."

After the long explanation the man was standing there unaffected by her words. He frowned slightly at her before saying "No." Sakura just smiled before saying "Ok." unconvinced.

Her attention was caught by the painting both of them had forgotten about. Sakura's mouth dropped open so low the man was surprised it didn't hit the floor, he turned to look at what had caught her attention.

The only ever recorded picture of a rare clans bloodline limit had turned to a soapy mixture. It had bubbled and lifted off of the canvas, some of the paint slipped down the painting in grey droplets. The occupants of the room watched it as the catastrophe set in. The golden-haired man's face turned to annoyance while Sakura screamed as if willing the painting to go back to normal. She was usually worried over little things, but this wasn't little.

As the two were caught up in the painting's slow death the door flung open, to the golden-haired man's annoyance and Sakura's sheer horror. "Sakura are you in here?" Kimiko's voice called out. Sakura let out a shrill shriek. Kimiko would see it, she would be angry and disappointed, it would be better if the painting was stolen rather than destroyed.

Kimiko stilled when she saw the impassive yellow-haired man that Sakura had giggle at earlier before looking at the pale girl. "Sakura are you alright?" she asked coming over to the girl. Sakura nodded as Kimiko put an arm around her. The yellow-haired man and Kimiko looked at each other, the man remained expressionless. "I've been looking for you for hours, what's happened?" Sakura eyes flickered to the painting that was partially hidden in the dark.

Kimiko gasped quietly. Sakura had expected her to lose it. "What happened to it?" she said calmly, looking back and forth from the man to Sakura. It was quiet for a moment before Sakura said "I ruined it, I'm so sorry." her voice sounding defeated. Kimiko laughed slightly, while consoling the girl. "I can see that" she said encouragingly. "Who's this?" she half asked the man and half Sakura.

It was quiet for quite along time, neither of them talking. The man was not giving anything away. Sakura went to break the silence but the man spoke just before her, in a measured pace. "I was hired to steal the painting. I ripped through it when I attempted to take it. She helped fix it and clean it and then tried to steal it back off me." Kimiko oh-ed _so it was ripped as well, that didn't explain why it looked half melted though._

Kimiko shrugged "Well Its ruined now and holds no value, the person who wants to buy it has sentimental attachments to it, if we deliver it to him like this he'll be enraged." she said tersely. "It would be better off if it was written off as stolen rather than ruined and damaged beyond repair." She let out a long sigh before looking up at the yellow-haired man. He nodded in understanding, they didn't want it, though his employer might. It held sentimental value to him as well as whoever they were going selling it to.

Kimiko took the sullen Sakura away with her out of the room. The air way heavy as they walked in silence, their feet tapping the floor every few moments. The journey around the museum seemed to take forever until they finally reached where they were headed. Sakura lifted her head from the ground to see the empty room where the painting once was. It was the end of the day and people had gone home.

Kimiko went over to the safe and started punching in numbers to Sakura's confusion. The steel coated room opened, Kimiko moved out of the way and faced Sakura with a large smirk on her face. Inside the safe was the painting Sakura had ruined not so long ago. It was clean and no marks could be seen on it. Sakura stared at it in puzzlement. "What?" she blurted out, looking to the smirking Kimiko. "How can that be there?" she said disbelievingly.

"I never took it out of the safe." Kimiko informed simply. Sakura stood still, shocked beyond belief. "You mean the painting everyone was looking at, the one that yellow-haired man stole and the one I ruined wasn't the real thing?" she said incredulously. Kimiko's devilish smirk turned into a eye sparkling smile as she 'mh hm-ed' at the stunned girl.

"Y-you really plan ahead" Sakura said with awe. "I went through all that trouble to get it back aswell." Sakura puffed. Kimiko laughed at her "I can't believe you ended up getting the fake, ripped and melted, I'm just glad it wasn't the real thing."

Sakura just shook her head in disbelief, all that for nothing. Well she did get something out of it. Flashbacks of the reserved man pressing himself to her and whispering into her ear with his warm breath, it made her shiver. He was at least a foot taller than her, he was of light build, built for speed and his hair was in a low ponytail. Not once did he unmask his chakra so if they ever did meet Sakura wouldn't know. She was sure he had a genjutsu up aswell, so she would not recognise him. She sighed as if she had deflated slightly.

Kimiko next to her, nudged her. "Come on Sakura, we need to get to the warehouse." She mentioned happily with the intact painting under her arm. Kimiko seemed to be getting along just fine without Sakura's help. She had brought that roll of paper, which was really the fake canvas painting and fooled everyone. Sakura included, she had made her get dressed at the museum while she hung it up.

_Kimiko sure was sneaky._

* * *

The yellow-haired man finally let his guise down as he travelled to the outskirts of spring country at mid speeds, jumping tree to tree. He really hated this country, it was too cold and he hated Ame where it rained non-stop. He preferred warm places where the sky's were blue everyday. A place that contrasted greatly with his personality.

The man could feel the cold getting to him, he had the urge to cough. To cough his lungs out at his hearts content. He quelled the over powering sensation into the back of his mind by thinking of something else. The first thing that came to his mind was unsurprisingly his day. His mission was ruined because of the little girl. _She was only what, Fifteen?_

If he had left that fire going in the woods the second time he saw her, then maybe she would have been killed in it and he never would have had to deal with her. Or if he didn't stop to try and knock her out he mused.

His employer would be mad when he saw the ruined painting, he didn't care. It was sentimental to him and he would pay for it if he wanted it, otherwise the yellow-haired man would just burn it with a katon jutsu and cut his losses.

No, he _would_ take it, after all the trouble it took him to get it. Mainly getting bitten by a teenage girl. That was his fault, he should have comatosed her instead of taking her by the waist. He looked at the forming scabs on his palm and recollected the memory of wanting to scream and swear, though he had quelled it just like his urges to cough.

A sickening picture flashed in his mind. He was wrapped around the girl, kissing her soft, pink lips. Sakura was her name he reminded himself. He had actually done that but it was in the dark, in his mind he could see it all. Her blood smeared mouth as he sucked it off delicately.

He had no qualms with doing that if the situation needed it but even he had principle's, he was at least eight years older than her. He had never done that with someone so... young. He made it seem so terrible in his mind, it was only to clean the blood off her and the inviting position they were in was all an act.

Though he had only ever been in that situation with older women. The girl had started moaning under his advances and he had noticed her dress had risen up along with her body. He shivered slightly at the recollection blaming it on the cold wind. She was his brothers old teammate, she was most likely on his side, if she knew who was touching her like that she would have run away screaming or punching him.

He decided he would never go near her again, just as the thought had formed a cough escaped him. He tried to suppress it again, but it was too strong. This time he gave up to the sensation and he stopped to let out a racking cough he had wanted to for a very long time.


	8. The Summoning Scroll

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto, This fanfiction has been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

* * *

Chapter Seven: The Summoning Scroll

Kimiko and Sakura had made it to the designated selling point within two days. They had arrived at the the warehouse after a long journey, waiting for them was a long wizard-like, bearded man with a bald head. He was very old and had long eyebrow hair that looked like a terrier dog's eyebrows. He had a walking stick and seemingly closed, crescent shaped eye's with smiling lines over his wrinkled face.

Sakura didn't see how much money he paid for the rare painting but it came in a suitcase signifying it was alot. Kimiko and Sakura departed ways once the painting was in the hands of the buyer. They had only travelled with each other for several days but it was hard to see each other go.

Sakura had a mission to get on with. When she started this trip she had three. Learn Creation Rebirth, find the summon and find out about the letter she kept in her breast pocket. Meeting Kimiko raised it two four. She only had two left to complete now.

As Sakura raced through the trees to reach her destination she spotted the old man from earlier. He seemed to be struggling with the painting he had purchased. The man carried it on his back like a turtle, but it kept slipping off.

Sakura slowed down to a halt, jumped of her tree branch onto the snowy track to offer her assistance.

"Are you alright with carrying that?" she asked uncertainly. The man's eyes brightened up at recognising her as one of the women who had sold him the painting. The painting slid off his back once again, hitting the floor.

He had paid all that money for it, Sakura was sure that wasn't how to treat a valuable item. "Would you mind carrying it for me?" The man said innocently with his wrinkled face. He was very free-spoken Sakura noted, getting to the point like that.

Sakura shrugged before saying Ok. She lifted it under her arm and walked next to the man as he lead the way, albeit in a slow pace only someone of his age could be content to travel at.

They walked at least half a mile before Sakura asked how much further he had to go. The man pulled on his beard as he stroked it in thought, "Only two more miles" he said kindly and gave her a brilliant smile. Sakura almost dropped the painting.

"Two more miles?" she repeated incredulously. He looked sideways at her and smiled brightly again. At the pace they were going Sakura could have completed both her missions and gone home. Out of sheer goodness and patience, Sakura travelled all they way.

Halfway there, the man had asked for a piggyback ride, he had asked so sincerely and childlike that Sakura couldn't say no. He had said is feet were hurting and sat on the floor refusing to move, and so Sakura had eventually given in.

Sakura didn't know where they were heading but it seemed to be in the direction she wanted to go, so every time she contemplated ditching the old man, she couldn't because they were travelling the same way.

This far away from the generator – which was in the centre of Spring country - meant it was cold. The snow was as high as your knees and it came down it flurries, Sakura had taken to the trees with the old man atop her back with the painting under her arm. If she wasn't there she wondered how the man could of possibly gotten home, but there again, _how did he get out of here in the first place?_

Up ahead Sakura could see a mountain peak hidden in snow clouds "Is that the great Matsu mountain?" Sakura asked, half knowing the answer. The man seemed to be asleep, without moving his head to look at it, "That it is." he said wisely.

"Where exactly are you headed Mr...? I need to go to the base of that Mountain." Sakura trailed off while inclining her head to the mountain. "Call me Sugo, young lady. My humble abode is by the mountain base. May I ask why you are heading there also?" he said simply.

Sakura's breath caught. "Your name's Sugo and you live by the mountain base?" she wanted to make sure. "Indeed I do and that is my name."

Sakura couldn't believe it, she had found a summoner of Yamatori before she had even arrived. "So, your Sugo Ensuki who wrote that book about Yamatori" she rushed out. The withered man chuckled lightly. "I didn't realize anyone had read my book apart from my family." he mused aloud, confirming he had wrote it.

Sakura could feel a number of shinobi and civilian chakra signatures coming from far off near the mountain. "Ah, I'm almost home. I think I can manage from here." he said happily. Sakura let him down onto the snow covered ground, he jumped into the snow and it made a slushing noise before he was sucked up by it. The heavy snow came up to his knees and as he walked it made a trail.

Sakura merely watched him. "Do you wish to join me for some tea?" he called pleasantly over his shoulder. Sakura caught up with him then walked behind him in the trail and said yes to his invitation. Sakura held the painting under her arm as they approached the mass of signatures equivalent to a small village. The snow and evergreens thinned out from where people had been stepping and the trees cut down for space.

There were little wooden lodges with smoke rising from chimneys and roofs blanketed with untouched snow. In the distance was Matsu mountain towering over the settlement. As they entered the compound, civilian women and children out shopping in the open market greeted the wizard-like man, while giving Sakura wary glances.

At the edge of the settlement was a tent shaped building. "I just need to drop this painting off at the clan head's before we have our tea and chat." He said merrily. He entered the tent building and since Sakura was the one holding the painting he was dropping off, she went too.

The wall's were lined with brown and white fur's along with animal skins. The floor was covered in a carpet with embroidery patterns of faces all over it. As Sakura was looking at the floor, Sugo went "Yuck" with a sour face. Sakura looked up to see what he was looking at. There was a table with a tall wooden chair, resting above the chair was a painting.

Sakura let out a slight laugh. It was the ruined counterfeit painting, the one the yellow-haired man had taken. It seemed his employer really did want it, overlooking it was damaged and disfigured to the point of no return.

A man came from behind one of the stretched animal skins to see his visitors. The Man was around early thirties, his hair was silvery-grey as were his eyes. It seemed more genetic than old age. His hair was short and he had thick eyebrows like Lee , or bushybrow's as Naruto liked to call him.

The silvery-haired man smirked when he saw the old man, ignoring Sakura. "Yes, yes I know its a mess, but at least I got it?" he started at the wizened man.

The old man frowned before saying bluntly. "It looks like her face has been melted off." while looking at the fake painting.

Sakura looked between the two, they seemed to be having a competition. But Sugo had the upper hand, she passed the painting to the old man. She gave it to him backwards so the silver-haired man couldn't see the picture. Looking at her for the first time, his eyes widened slightly and he stared at her hair, before looking at her distrustfully.

"What have I told you about stealing Tansor?" The old man preached.

The younger man ripped his eyes away from her to the man." At least I got it alright? And cheaper than how much its worth." he snarled.

"Its ruined" the older man said not impressed. There was a heavy silence before the younger man named Tansor said "As if you could have done better."

This was exactly what Sugo was waiting for. He turned the painting around to show the Tansor.

He frowned angrily. "Where did you get your hands on that?" he said snappily.

"Instead of employing someone to steal it, I took the liberty to place an offer for it, it was delivered a few hours ago by two young ladies." he said in a way similar to a lecture.

Tansor fumed before snatching it from him. He took the ruined one down and it hit the floor with a clatter before placing it up. "Better?" he seethed.

Sugo nodded with superiority before leaving with Sakura tailing after him. _What was all that about?_ She could feel Tansor bore his eyes into the back of her head.

They walked to his house with people shooting wary glances at Sakura and whispering. The old man's house was big compared to the rest. He made tea in the open plan kitchen, dining and living room, before coming down to sit on the opposite side of Sakura. They sat on mats by a low table and sipped their tea.

"What is your name, young lady?" Sugo asked. Sakura hadn't noticed it earlier but as she sat here in the a settlement full of chakra signatures, she noticed this man had none. None whatsoever could be detected from him.

"It's Sakura Haruno" she answered back

"Well as you know, I'm Sugo Ensuki. What brings you from... where you come from?" He adapted

Sakura swallowed the tea that was in her mouth before replying "I'm here on a mission by Konoha to find a summon. Though that isn't my main reason, I have a more personal reason for coming here." The wizened man raised his eyebrows at the news "What would that be?" he asked truly curious.

Sakura shuffled around on her seat before hesitantly pulling a letter from her breast pocket. She handed the precious object to the old man. He studied the flimsy bit off paper looking up at her then back to the paper. He started to read it his face changing every few seconds as Sakura fidgeted on her mat.

Sugo opened his eyes slightly from their closed crescent shape to look at her more clearly. "I don't know why I didn't see earlier" he said slowly and with care at the young woman before him.

Sakura just shrugged shyly. _So that confirms the letter is true._

Sakura and Sugo talked for hours until Sakura had filled in everything about her life in Konoha and Sugo had told her everything she wanted to know regarding the letter. After this, they felt like they had been reunited, when really they had never met.

When Sakura asked about her mission set by Konoha, Sugo was less willing to talk. It was a touchy subject even within his own clan. Many of the clan members wanted the summoning contract, only a few select members within the clan could sign it though, only those chosen by the clan head, or unanimously by the people.

He couldn't help her there ,even as much as he wanted too. Though his social standing as the former, clan heads, husband could sway some of the clan members. "Don't worry, I'll figure something out, Sakura-chan. For now you should talk to Tansor."

Sakura laughed uncertainly. Tansor didn't seem like a very nice guy to his own family and he was staring distrustfully at Sakura, somehow Sakura could guess he wouldn't be willing to let her sign the summoning scroll any time soon. She visibly sagged at the news. "Ok then, thankyou for you help though ojiisan ." He seemed deep in thought stroking his beard before waving.

As Sakura left the house she noticed a picture frame with a picture of Sugo and most likely his deceased wife. Had it been anyone else, she would not have stopped. It was a woman with apricot coloured hair, Sugo had said her name was Momo. _Apricot coloured..._ Maybe that was why Tansor was looking at her like that, after all the pink hair colour was rare.

As Sakura walked through the market she understood the civilian stares and was able to ignore them. They must have thought she looked like Momo. She made her way back to the tent building. Inside it, sitting beneath the painting was a silvery mop of hair. Tansor was scribbling things down before raising his head to set his gaze on her. This time it did not go to her hair, he had already seen it earlier.

There was a thick silence. Sakura stood lamely in the centre of the tent in her ninja garb awkwardly. "Hello..." she said quietly, mentally bashing her head on a wall. _That wasn't how to start a request._

He looked at her oddly before saying hello in the same way she had seconds before. _He was mocking her!_ She straitened up and put her chin up. "I have come from Konoha to ask you, clan head, if you would be willing to let me sign the bird summon in return for jutsu and my healing if it is needed."

Tansor had both eyebrows raised as if saying _did you really just say that_. "As tempting as that offer seems, I'm afraid it's a no." He said satirically. _That went well. _Sakura started stuttering something out in protest, as that was all her fifteen year-old self could think to do. "If you'll excuse me I have matter's to attend to." he said slightly angrily.

He was content on reaching Sugo's house to tell him to, tell his little pink-haired friend to go home. As he went down into the market Sugo was there waiting with a couple of others. One had grey hair, it was cropped and he was smoking. There were other men of strong build all with whitish hair and white eyes. _What's up with this place, everyone seems to have white hair and eyes_ Sakura thought as she caught up to Tansor.

The smoker with cropped hair spoke to Tansor quietly so Sakura could not hear. Once the man had returned to his place by Sugo, Tansor turned to Sakura with fiery eyes. "T-hat thing!" he spat out with his arm stretched to point at her more intimidatingly. To her own annoyance she flinched. "I will not allow it, as clan head I forbid it!" he raged at them.

People had crowded to a significant degree to watch the proceedings. Another man by Sugo's side came out. He had long hair, he was tall and lean. He reminded Sakura of a mountain wolf. "I think it would be for the best Tansor-dono." he said calmly with his heavy voice. The other men nodded behind the lean man.

The civilians watched puzzled. Tansor went to stalk off when Sugo called out to him. All the people turned to look at the wizened man. His long beard moved as he talked and the wind blew it steadily. "We have unanimously come to a decision to let this girl sign the contract, her loyalties are bound to us as much as her home, Konoha. Due to her supposed connections with us, we have agreed to let her sign the summoning scroll.

The crowd gasped and shouts of protest came about. Tansor laughed heartily, stilling the crowd. "You heard the people." he said mightily. Sugo stood his ground as snow flurries started coming down for the third time that day. "I am the keeper of the scroll. If Sakura Haruno can defeat me in a fight then she shall take full ownership of it." it was silent for a moment as people considered this.

The crowd seemed more content with this, there was no way a girl of her standard could beat Sugo, he was one of the strongest people to ever be born into the clan, _well apart from Momo_. And if she could beat him, then who would stop her from taking it anyway? Tansar was strong, but he was young and naïve, he only got his position because of his birth right and wouldn't be able to stop her if she could beat someone on Sugo's level.

Tansor hesitated. "How do I know you won't go easy one her?"

Sugo paused before answering "Most of you have seen me fight, I'm sure you could tell. I would not give up my title of never being beaten for the sake of a girl taking the scroll from us anyway."

This reassured the people and Tansor could see he was losing, "Fine, one hour from now, the southern field. If you go easy on her, I'll have you down for treason " he remarked in a sadistic manner. The wizened man frowned, Sakura would not be able to beat him if he went all out.

Sakura gave him a worried look and he turned his head to the ground, he had tried to help the best he could.

* * *

As Sakura walked around the snowy town she gazed around. Most people had retreated in their homes. The snow flurries came down heavily and the wind bit at her exposed face, toes and hands. She wondered around the settlement, hood up and desolately like a ghost lingering in the living world. She did not go back to Sugo's house.

She wanted to make up the most of her time here before she would inevitably have to leave when she failed. Sugo was looked up to by most of the villagers and he had no chakra signature, _he must be strong if he could mask it that well_. Even when Tsunade masked her chakra signature you could still tell she had one, but with Sugo, there was nothing.

There were no people outside now., it was far too cold. Sakura's teeth chattered and she shuffled through the snow to wait by the southern field for the battle.

People started gathering at the fence of the snow covered field with chattering teeth. Tansor waited in the middle, last to come was Sugo himself. Sakura had situated herself by a dead cherry tree. It must have been placed there when it was half grown, there was no way a cherry tree could grow in such cold conditions. It was dead now, it was moved to a cold place where it couldn't survive. The frozen branches did not sway in the wind, the snow merely piled high before falling off from losing balance on the thin, dead twigs.

A clumps of snow fell from it and Sakura rose from her spot, fully cloaked with her arms hidden and hood up, she disappeared into a flurry of cherry blossom then reappeared by Tansor and Sugo. It startled Tansor as he hadn't noticed her sitting by the dead cherry tree. She had caught half of his sentence before he had been startled. Something along the lines of "...n't turn up. Coward."

She looked at him from underneath her hood, eyes piecing and cold. He was a disgusting man, Sakura didn't hate anyone, she had only met this person earlier and she already _really_ disliked him.

He scrunched his nose at her as Sugo and Sakura stood opposite each other. The wind had really picked up and the snow came down harder, almost pelting them. Sakura's teeth chattered violently in the cold like the viewers by the fence. Sugo and Tansor showed no weakness like she did. Tansor left to the edge of the fence to watch the battle, a smirk painted on his lips.

Sakura got into a fighting stance, whereas Sugo remained still. "Sakura" he said. Her breath hitched, no one could hear them from this distance."Yes?" she ventured.

"I will go easier on you, they are quite a distance away, I am getting old and there seems to be a storm coming. I can afford to go easy on you without anything seeming amiss. You just have to go the rest of the way and defeat me. It really depends on how strong you are, whether you succeed or fail. Good luck." he said in his wizened voice, the assemblage of people where growing impatient and so he got into his own fighting stance.

"Thankyou, but I can do this." she said quietly, her words subdued by the howling wind.

If she wanted to win this she would need to catch him off guard, like she had so many because of her ridiculous hair, gender and age. Not by him going easy on her.

Just as she had finished the thought in her head Sugo fazed in front of her, his hands became fuzzy in a flurry of movement, punching her repeatedly. Each second she could feel the breath being knocked out of her.

Sugo missed once allowing her to get away from the attack. As soon as he had let her escape he used a few hand signs before a wave of water began to form, the attack came swift and strong. At the last moment Sakura did her own jutsu to bring up an high level mud wall. It groaned under the weight of the water. The waves split into two swerving around the mud wall and getting her feet wet.

She made two bunshin that both jumped out behind the mud wall to attack. Sugo threw a kunai at one and fought the other until it poofed out of existence. Meanwhile Sakura had gone underground. She came out of the ground by Sugo feet aiming to punch him.

He caught her arm, then started punching her with one hand. _What's with the punching?_ He read her expression "Its my best move" he explained happily, she went to kick at him, but he lifted her up and swung her away to execute another jutsu. A canon ball of water was shot at her and Sakura skilfully dodged. Many more canon balls came at her in larger sizes. She slipped out of the way but more were coming.

Unsure of what would happen she pumped chakra to her fist and started punching the bodies of water. They exploded into harmless water vapour. Sugo saw his attacks weren't working and resulted to close combat again. He fazed infront of her to elbow her. It hit her in the stomach and she rolled onto the snow leaving a trail. He jumped high into the air to execute his final attack.

The sun's brightness and the flurry of snow cascading down shrouded Sugo in the air, as his attack came closer Sakura could see a thin water dragon propelling downwards. It widened it's maw as if to swallow her. Sakura rolled out the way, but she was too close to save herself. With no moments to spare she brought up her mud wall. Bits of the wall fell off to turn the icy blue water a dirty brown. It groaned and Sakura sweated under the pressure to keep it up. Her blood thumping in her ears as she withstood the pressure. The wall faltered then broke apart, the cascade of water washed her far down the field, away from Sugo.

Sugo watched as she unsteadily got up, falling on her knees twice, she was shivering violently in her wet clothes. The snow and ice was coming down in torrents, a full fledged snow storm was on its way. She heard the crowd murmur as she finally got up. Flushing chakra to all her body she warmed up instantly but still shivered from the howling wind biting at her skin. Sugo looked fine. She hadn't hit him once and the cold didn't seem to be affecting him.

Deciding she would go down with at least a hit on him. She charged, her fist blazing. No one knew about her abilities here, one hit would be sufficient enough to not be totally looked down upon by this clan. Her warmth gave her a boost of energy and adrenaline rush. She approached him and aimed her punches. Each time she missed, it didn't even look like he was dodging. It looked like he was stepping out of the way.

The crowd continued to watch, sneering at the young girl. Tansor said to them she would run out of energy and faint soon. Contrary to this Sakura felt like she could go on forever, Sugo would have to slip up eventually even with the ease of how he was dodging. _He would mess up _She reassured herself. As Sakura continued with her taijustsu style, Sugo slowed down instantly. His seemingly closed eyes opened slightly to see her better. He seemed shocked and was hit by Sakura's punch, only because he was distracted by her colourless eyes. The colour of snow.

It was rib breaking, he was flung in the air and hit the ground quite far away impacting with a thud. The crowd roared in anger but their yells were muted by the wind picking up. Sakura ran to the impact zone, Sugo was standing and went to attack. She came at him aswell, he wasn't just dodging, he was catching her punches and trying to attack her aswell. She caught some of his punches, but most hit her.

She was able to land a kick to his chest he flew in the air again. Sakura jumped into the snowy sky and repeatedly punched him downwards. He did a back flip just before he hit the ground and landed on his feet, albeit painfully. Then schooling his features and doing another set of hand seals.

The blizzard got stronger and the land around her was a blanket of white shrouding her vision. _Where is he? _A kunai came at her from infront, she curved her back so it skimmed past her just above her nose. Catching a sight behind her she turned and punched her fist into the icy ground. It cracked into sparkling shards in a long spidery pattern. A pained yell was heard from inside the crack. She had him. Sakura did a low level wind jutsu to clear the snow blinding her vision. Sugo was bleeding and in the cracked earth, she went to help him.

Sugo casted a wind dragon this time, larger than the water one. It came at her ferociously and menacingly, its wind-like body twirled and twisted. An icy current of air flew out of its mouth with enough force to push her on her butt. Sakura scrambled up then ran. Ran as fast as she could with chakra enhanced speed. she changed direction every five seconds but the dragons agile body moved in sync, catching up with her. It was huge, it towered above her in the sky. Sakura got out a scroll and unsealed it, out came a bigger seal. She bite her thumb and blood trailed over it.

As she was doing this, the dragon came down to bite her, she did a quick transportation jutsu, leaving behind cherry blossoms. The giant dragon crashed its jaws into the snow where she had once been. This gave Sakura enough time to focus her chakra into the scroll.

A flash of light spread over the snow stormed land and smoke rose up. Standing tall was Katsuyu.

"Katsuyu I need your help!" Sakura hollered up to the slug queen desperately. Katsuyu glanced to the dragon equalling in size to herself, with its maw in the snow. Katsuyu lowered her head for Sakura to jump on. " I am not an offence summon, Sakura-san" she said doubtfully. Sakura bit her lip. "I'll try and land a hit on it, I just need you to protect me." Sakura explained. The dragon raised its head to stare daggers at them.

Katsuyu shot acid at the wind dragon to slow it down. It seemed to hurt it, but not stop the beast. Sakura put most of her chakra into her first, in high concentration. The wind sliced her skin as the monster came closer, she aimed her fist at its head and let the hit connect when she was close enough. Time seemed to still, she could feel and see her hand turning red with blood slowly rubbing it raw. Then it all happened so fast, the dragon exploded into stray chakra dissipating, into the blizzard.

It seemed to self destruct, the raw energy it had exploded came to wash over her in one last fatal attack. Katsuyu separated a slug around Sakura's size and encased her inside of it. The attack washed over her harmlessly and the miniature slug healed her hand.

After Sakura had dismissed Katsuyu she walked to where Sugo had fallen. He was in the crack Sakura had made in the ground. His leg appeared to be broken. "You defeated it" he said proudly. She nodded as she helped him out. "I defeated you" she said with a smile. She numbed his leg and walked him back, with him relying on her arm for support.

From the fence, people could make out two figures through the concealing snow. They had seen a giant dragon, smoke and a gargantuan slug along with a powerful explosion, then everything had gone quiet. Now the figures could be seen coming from the snow torrent. The pink-haired girl didn't seem to be shivering anymore and Sugo was limping painfully with the girls assistance.

The outcome of the match was clear, they would have to give up their scroll to this stranger. Tansor was looking at Sugo with angry eyes. "She hasn't defeated you yet. Why are you coming back!" he fumed. The wizened man turned to look at the younger giving him a threatening glare.

"She has beaten my most powerful attack and is still standing. I sustained a broken leg and was trapped in the earth. She could have knocked me out but choose not to. She has defeated me." he bit out, making Tansor reel back.

"We will abide by the terms of agreement. My granddaughter Sakura-chan, will take full ownership of Yamatori." he continued, looking into the eyes of each and every clan member there. Which was almost everyone from the clan. The words sank in after a moment of silence.

"This is Ume's daughter?" a civilian asked incredulously. Sugo nodded and they stared in awe. A brawny man said uncertainly "She only holds half our blood." everyone seemed to mutter and nod things to each other. Sugo spoke "She is only half Ensuki, but she comes from a long line of official clan heads, unlike the rest of us." as he said this he looked at the quiet Tansor. _Official._

The clan members agreed, their family had weakened over time. It was dying out because their clan head doujutsu had disappeared. All they had left was the weakened version of the optical jutsu. The only person who was directly related to a clan head - one that had the more powerful strain of their eye jutsu - was the girl infront of them, who had hair similar to that of the past leader, her grandmother, Momo Ensuki.

Tansor was silently fuming away, screaming obscenities in his head. He had worked hard for his place, if the little twit had even an inch of her grandmother's power he would be thrown off his seat in a blink of an eye. Cogs began to move in his mind. As the villagers talked, Tansor left.

* * *

Back at Sugo's house, Sakura was fixing Sugo's broken leg. She wall mulling over what she had heard by the fence. Most of the settlement dwellers looked at her with awe and the shinobi population had regarded her with mild respect. Not only had she defeated Sugo - even though he went easier on her (but they didn't know that) - she could possibly hold the most powerful strain of their eye jutsu.

It was strangely..._unsettling_. She had wanted to know if she had a family apart from her mother and father and now she had found them. They weren't quite what she was looking for. Its wasn't the average civilian family you expected. She had prepared herself when she read the letter from her mother but it hadn't sunk in back then. It had now. They were a strong clan with a rare bloodline limit. One of the first shinobi clans to form. With their doujutsu on par with the Uchiha's and even stronger than the Hyuuga's.

She wanted a normal family that she could talk openly to and be on equal footing with. This clan had a hierarchy based on power and it was large, the size of a small village with people like Tansor who didn't care about family.

Sugo was nice though, she wouldn't trade her powerful ninja clan family for a normal one because then she would have to give up her new found ojiisan.

Once Sugo's leg was healed he told her that she could sign the summoning scroll and keep it. He took it out of a heavily sealed cabinet. It was many years old but looked clean and new from being coated in chakra. It unrolled to reveal the names of fifteen others all with the last name 'Ensuki' Sakura wrote her name in blood and broke that chain.

Sugo told her to try the summoning out, she did so but nothing happened. "This is different from normal summoning scrolls, Yamatori isn't a summon as such. Summons have their own lands and have many of there own kind that you can summon. Yamatori is an immortal animal who cannot produce offspring of her own kind, she is more similar to a demon than a summon and because of this, if you wish to summon her you need to ask permission first." he told her patiently so she got every word.

"So how do I get this permission?" she asked with a frown.

"You must climb Matsu mountain, at the peak there is a transportation system that will take you to Yamatori's domain. From there you will have to ask her and make a link with her so she can be summoned to you." he explained. His words echoing around the large room.

"The peak is a long way up..." she trailed off.

"You can see why only the most talented of our clan members are allowed to have her as a summon." he said wisely.

"Will Yamatori let me make a link with her? She only aids the Ensuki clan and I haven't got the eyes and hair you all have." Sakura said uncertainly.

Sugo shook his head "Yamatori will know" he said simply. "As for you eyes, today when we were fighting, your eyes turned colourless" he added. Sakura blinked as if willing them to go white as she looked at a mirror on the far side of the room. "Really? Aren't bloodline limits meant to come out when you start training as shinobi... I must really suck." she said sullenly while lightly prodding her eye.

Sugo smirked "Our bloodline limit is very unique, it will only manifest at its place of origin, by Matsu mountain, where the yukihana flower grows. For some it never manifest and they stay within the clan as civilians. He told her as if to encourage her. She smiled. "So the longer I stay here, the more likely I am to get white hair?" she said with horror. Sugo laughed at her and nodded. "But remember, its like that other eye jutsu... the Sharingan, you can activate and deactivate it."

Sakura gave him a sour looking grin. "I guess that's alright. What about you? Is yours always activated?" she joked at his white hair. He shook his finger at her while stroking his white beard.


	9. Doomed

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto, This fanfiction has been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

* * *

Chapter Eight: Doomed

Sakura healed and cleaned herself up the following day before getting supplies to go up the fearsome mountain. The summoning scroll was hers now, she strapped it over her back like Jiraiya did with his, symbolising power and strength. It did not feel quite right, it was heavy for Sakura's shoulders. It felt as if it was something she would grow into and it would look right once she had achieved the strength and power that it so strongly symbolised.

The only person to see her off was Sugo as she descended up the mountainous terrain at night. There was a rough staircase carved into the rock leading up quite far. When the stair case ran out Sakura had to walk along the numerous mountain ridges and pull herself up to other ledges. When there were no other ledges to climb up she had to scale the mountain with chakra. At the height she was at, she could not see the ground below, the oxygen was thinning and the air was frigid.

The wind howled unhappily at her, making her cloak flick around violently, despite the weights in the bottom of it. The only problem with her cloak was that it didn't have arm holes. If she wanted to climb she would need to unfasten the neck tie/scarf, which let the biting cold in. For not the first time on her trip to Spring country, she was grateful Tsunade had put her through the training she had.

She had excellent chakra control which made this task easier for her than most and the fact that she had recently increased her chakra reserves meant she could use it to climb and warm herself up at the same time. Had she been the old Sakura, by now she would have been near her limit. She felt cable of climbing at the rate she was going without stopping.

Eventually she got tired, she had the weight of the cloak and summoning scroll slowing her down. The oxygen up there was suffocatingly low, the air was not air but a hazy mist. It clouded how far up she would have to travel. As Sakura scaled the rocky mountain she felt light headed, she had chakra but she was losing the ability to control it. Her lungs screamed for oxygen that wasn't there, she pulled herself over a curving piece of rock onto its flat surface. _Wait, flat surface? _She lifted her head to see a glowing circular, blue light through the thick mist. She had reached the peak.

Every breath was painful and unsatisfying, she lugged her self over to the light and stepped inside the circle. She let out a pulse of chakra and waited while breathing heavily, the giant scroll had been no help on her journey she noted while shuffling it around on her back.

It was hers now and she would have to look after it and eventually pass it on to an apprentice or family member. Unlike Katsuyu's scroll, which Tsunade would give to Shizune before she passed on. Sakura had signed it, but it did not belong to her. She could summon the summoning scroll but would have to give it back encase Tsunade needed it.

In a blink of an eye Sakura no longer stood on the peak of Matsu mountain. She was somewhere else entirely. The rich air felt pleasant as she gasped it in greedily. Snow fell lightly to the untouched blanket. There was no wind to cut into her skin, it was still and there was almost a warm feeling. It was eerie, there were no sounds, just white as far as the eye could see, snowflakes of various designs falling around her.

_Where now then?_

She didn't know how long she had wandered but her energy was fading, she couldn't find the giant bird and most worryingly, she didn't know where the exit was. _If there is one. _As if her desperate pleas had been answered Sakura saw in the distance movement. She raced up to what seemed like a hill. The hill rose up then fell back down in rythm.

Sakura remained still, hidden within her cloak. Her mouth was slightly parted as she frowned at the moving hill. She pumped chakra into her legs to jump up to the top of the hill. She landed lightly on the white ground. On closer inspection, the ground was not snow, it was feathers.

The realization occurred to Sakura. She looked on the other side from which she had came and true to her suspicions there was a feathered, white head tucked inside an equally feathered, mammoth, sized wing. The head retracted from the warmth of the wing lazily to look at what had landed on it.

The birds' eye opened to look at Sakura with a black, almond shaped eye. The light hit the birds single eye and gave it a white fleck. It was a beautiful creature. Sakura took her hood down to talk to the immortal animal. It turned fully towards her so both eyes could be seen and the hawk-like beak which was the same texture and colour of a horse hoof.

* * *

Momo was on her back. _No... Momo perished a long time ago. Just like all the other mortals._ This one had pink hair similar to Momo, her face seemed smoother and she was smaller. It was a young mortal who had a reasonable amount of time left on earth. A very young one, she hadn't seen one this young up close.

The mortal had Ensuki blood running through her veins, the very clan Yamatori had sworn to protect when she was young. She had held that promise and always would. If not for the clans ancestor, she wouldn't of survived past childhood.

Yamatori watched the girl, her blood was dirty. It was half Ensuki, the other half seemed to be from a low-level ninja. A half clan member had never visited her lands before.

"What do you come to my land for?" she said regally in mortal tongue. The pinkette seemed to be in a mix between awe and fear.

"I'm here to make a link with you, if you'll accept me as your summoner." she carefully worded. That surprised her, _she has come to make a link with me?_ When Momo's link faded she was wondering when a new clan member would come. This one was not only the youngest member to visit her but the youngest mortal she had seen up close. She had occasionally seen small children from the skies but not so close.

She craned her neck closer to the being in curiosity. For being so old, Yamatori didn't know much about the living. They were interesting, but she had never gotten to know them as she was only requested in their world when they needed to kill other living beings.

The girl walked backwards at the proximity and tripped. She slipped down her back. Yamatori caught her in her beak and gently put her down. Deciding it would be a good time to reply she spoke. "The clan has chosen you and you have managed to get up the mountain." she started idly thinking it over. For someone so young to be here meant she would be stronger in the future. "You are young, twelve or so. I will make a link with you only under one condition."

The pink-haired girl frowned and seemed to open her mouth then close it in thought. "I'm going to be sixteen soon." she said unhappily at her. Yamatori laughed at the mortal. "My apologies, usually men come up here, I forget women are smaller and I do not always get your time frame right. You live in years but I live in a never ending flow of time." she started off kindly but the last bit was said with bitterness. "It must be lonely up here" Sakura said in a way of trying to understand her.

Yamatori did not acknowledge her words but she did think them over. "What's this condition?" Sakura asked suddenly as if she remembered Yamatori's earlier words. Yamatori did not grace her with her speech for a moment until finally saying. "You must let me live in the living world when I chose." The pinkette seemed confused before finally saying "Don't you think you're a bit big?" she said it as kindly as possible, which made her smile.

Within seconds the mountain sized bird reduced size to about Sakura's height. The girl spoke unsurprised at her transformation "If you got smaller, you could disguise yourself as an ordinary bird." This was exactly what Yamatori was thinking and nodded to her. "Okay I agree to your condition." she said quickly and happily.

Yamatori was surprised the mortal had agreed so easily. Her old summoners had treated her like a summon and always dismissed her when they didn't need her, this one didn't seem to mind her residing in the living world with her and when she transformed the girl did not jump back in surprise like so many others before her.

Yamatori brought her forehead to Sakura's and directed a pulse of chakra to her. "The link will remain until your death." Yamatori told her solemnly and she nodded in return. Her pink locks bobbed as her head moved. "I will summon you as soon as I get down the mountain and you can travel with me, if you want to." she added quickly. Yamatori felt a sense of happiness wash over her and she couldn't quite place why. _Acceptance? Freedom? _It wasn't clear. "I would like that." she said sincerely to the girl, fully placing her faith in the her hands.

* * *

Sakura left the giant bird as she travelled back down, she would summon her as soon as she got back. When she told her that she would let her stay outside, the animal seemed to brighten up, like Pakun when she gave him cat flavoured biscuits. Well maybe not quite like that, but she could tell from her perfect almond shaped eyes that she was happy only displaying it for a second but sure enough it was there.

The journey back down was rigorous. Yamatori sent her in the direction of the teleport that would take her back to the mountain peak. When she arrived her breath was taken out of her once more, but as she got lower down the mountain everything seemed to get easier. It was warmer, she could see and the air was more plentiful with oxygen. Her chakra was down from climbing up and down also from using chakra to keep her warm.

She stepped down the carved stone steps. It was daylight now and people would be rising soon. Sakura fastened her cloak and put her arms inside before letting go of the chakra being placed around her body. She wasn't as warm but it would do.

Matsu mountain was separated from spring country by a massive drop. The land was raised from the earth plates being pushed together when mount Matsu was formed. The Ensuki lived on the raised side and the rest of spring country was on a lower plain. From where the steps were she could just about see the edge of this legendary drop.

She went through the snowy maze of tree's before coming to a halt. You could see for miles, snowflakes fluttered down to the small forest and villages on the opposite side along with a giant lake on the horizon. Looking straight down Sakura could see a stream of icy blue water. She went a safer distance from the edge and started walking back to the the outskirts of the Ensuki settlement where she would summon Yamatori. She walked along glancing at the land below, she felt so large in comparison to the tiny villages in the distance.

Right below her, the stream had turned into a small river, further up would most likely lead to the large body of water Sakura travelled on to get to spring country all those weeks ago. As she walked through the various snow covered trees, Sakura picked up a number of chakra signatures.

They seemed familiar, she had felt them at the settlement. One was quite clear, it was Tansor. He was leading them and they seemed to be looking for her. Some of the signature's seemed hesitant or unwilling as they lagged behind. Suddenly they stopped as if they had sensed her.

They stood still for a long time not coming to find her, so Sakura carried on. She walked quite a distance before they sprinted off to were she was going as if not to lose her. They jumped into view, some were behind bushes and some on tree limbs. Tansor was on the highest tree limb he could find, his height compared to the others was akin to his ego.

Sakura raised her eyebrow at the moron. Though the effect was lost as her face was shadowed behind her hood. All that could be seen to distinguish her as 'Sakura' would be the growing pink locks of hair. They went past her shoulders now, where they could be seen in plain view. And if that didn't prove she was Sakura, then the chakra that she _never_ masked would have done. _You really need to start masking it _she reprimanded herself.

Letting out a sigh she waited for someone to speak, they stared at her like hawks, none of them moving. Tansor attempted to hold back a smirk. Sakura was a patient person, sometimes. Though she had a short temper. "What?" she said snappily at them all. Two of them looked at the floor instead of at her face now. They all ignored her. "Get the scroll, I'll take her out." Tansor suddenly ordered the three men with suppressed mirth.

_Take her out? _She would like to see him try, _cocky bastard._ They wanted a fight, for what she didn't know. She had the scroll but his men were some of the people who agreed she take it. It seemed Tansor wanted it, as clan head, his men were obliged to do as he ordered. They were all coming at her at once.

She jumped up high into a tree limb effortlessly. "What is the meaning of this?" she said confused and angrily. Her eyes drifted to the tall lean one. He was of the people who had tried to persuade Tansor to let her sign the scroll in the first place. He didn't avert his gaze but looked her straight in the eye before sluggishly going to attack her. Sakura knew that look, she had given it to others before she knocked them out. The 'orders are orders' look.

Sighing, as they came at her she punched the lean, wolf-like one in the gut, he landed in the snow a distance away. This caught the attention of the other two, they turned to look at their comrade while Sakura substituted herself with a clone and it ran off into the woods. They went to go follow her but she was agile and fast. Eventually they would catch her, see it was a clone then come back. Tansor watched unimpressed, he had seen all her moves when she had fought Sugo.

As the wolf-like man got up from his hunched position in the snow Tansor called out to him "Don't let her touch you, she can direct chakra to any place on her body."

She couldn't, she could direct it to her fingers, fists, feet, toes, elbows, knees and head. But what he didn't know was her gain.

The two of them did synchronized hand signs. The wind picked up into a circular pattern around her. She jumped to get out of it and it cut into her skin. It followed her, placing her back in the circle then got stronger. The two of them where focusing wind into it and remained frozen with their hands locked in position.

The wind turned into a mini tornado, picking up snow and dead branches. It seemed to be the chakra homing type. Sakura masked her chakra then created a clone with unmasked chakra. She did a quick teleport leaving behind a flurry of cherry blossom. The wolf-like man and Tansor noticed this and Sakura threw explosive tags at them.

They dropped the jutsu and jumped out of the way. The explosives hit the ground making wet snow fly up, most of it hit Tansor. He fumed angrily and quickly ran up to her with a raised fist, _he's fast_. Sakura brought her fist level with his and their fists smashed together. Tansor reeled back in pain and wailed, his hand had broken with a sickening crunch. From Sakura position it looked more like it had been crushed as it hung limply.

_Hadn't he just told the wolf-like man to not let her touch him? _In retaliation he took out a sword from the sheath by his hip, holding it with his good hand. Most of the white haired and eyed men had them, it hadn't occurred to Sakura they could actually use them. The sheaths looked more ceremonial than for fighting.

He held a thin bladed scimitar, the curve was subtle and the blade sharp. _He hasn't used it much then _Sakura noted_. _The sword seemed to give off an aura almost as though it were alive. Tansor looked to the other man and he nodded, when Tansor turned away Sakura saw him quietly sigh in frustration then give the back of Tansor's head a glare.

He pulled a katana from his own belt and for a moment Sakura thought he would go for Tansor, but he didn't. He turned towards her. Sakura didn't like swords, she couldn't use one and she couldn't defend against one. The other members of the group were coming back now. They were irritated and had swords of their own. _Damn._

Tansor swiped at her and she ducked, the other man brought his sword in a downwards stab and she twisted out of the way. The other two came into the fight with their swords in hand. It felt like a dance, if she did one wrong move she could quite possibly loss a limb. A deadly dance. She swerved out of the way and jumped at the right moments. Their eyes seemed to turn a glowing white and they came at her faster than before.

She couldn't keep up, one of the swords cut into her arm and from there on they kept getting a stab at her. Tansor moved his arm in a sideways arc, cutting across her front. Her cloak was behind her almost like a cape. None of the swords so far had manged to slice it she noted, most likely so they didn't damage the scroll.

What annoyed her the most was the fact that the three of them were going easy on her_apart from Tansor. _Sure she was crap against swords but that didn't mean she was weak.

* * *

A figure walked along the edge of an icy blue river, clad in dark clothing and red clouds adorning his cloak. Snowflakes fell from the sky as he walked leisurely to his destination. He was not needed there for another few days, so he walked at a slow pace. To his left there was a giant cliff wall, there was a little enclave in the wall where he could sit down.

The wind blew the loose strands of his hair as he walked to the enclave and sat down. He brushed his hand through his long black hair before he tied it in a low ponytail so it rested at the nape of his neck. Reaching into the warmth of his cloak pocket he took out an old, battered, black book. He opened it to a page in the middle where the page corner was bent over.

He scanned the page with his shocking blood red eyes, they moved quickly. So quickly that it seemed unnatural. His long black eyelashes partly obscured the intimidating ruby colouring.

The unmarked book was held open with one hand. It was a poetry book with many different poems, one was about revenge or being betrayed, he wasn't sure. It was one stanza and the author had only written one poem like this in the whole book.

_How do you feel upon  
This disgrace?  
The future which  
You set with your own pace_

_Let this flood of guilt  
Never cease  
For in it's weary jilt  
Brings my long awaited peace_

When he first read it he took no notice of it, now he would read it whenever he wanted to remind himself of who he was. He had taken disgrace in the place of honour, it was his own decision and he would have to live with it. He did feel guilt, the pain of it had never eased and he knew that others would be happy with that, it would bring them their _long awaited peace_ to know that he was suffering. Well it would for one person.

* * *

A dripping noise could be heard. It could always be heard, the walls and floor where always damp and dimly lit. There were tunnels after tunnels along with hundreds of chambers with heavy wood doors. Rats skulked behind corners eating at rotting prisoners, dead or alive.

It smelt down this particular tunnel. Criss crossing bars that looked more like cages aligned the right wall of the tunnel. Inside sat dirty, deranged humans. Some of them couldn't be called human anymore. Some sat in corners, rocking backwards and forwards, newer prisoners wailed and cried while trying to break the bars or getting the sympathy of those that walked past. They never did.

Human waste could be smelt, it was cold and no one lived that long, only the fortunate died quickly.

Sasuke Uchiha walked down this foul tunnel. He was older, his shoulders had broadened and he had grown taller. He was built for speed, a katana was by his hip as he took measured steps down the disgusting tunnel he loathed that lead to a place he hated even more.

New prisoners cried as he walked past, yelling their lungs raw as they put their pasty arms through the bars, pushing themselves against it to reach him. His eyebrows knitted together in irritation and he halted. Removing any expression from his face he looked at them like a devil, someone more deranged and mental than those that resided on the inside of the bars.

They did not still, they had forgone the point of caring. They screamed and hit themselves against the bars, shrieks of 'please' emitting from their mouths in a chant. Sasuke's dark eyes illuminated to a blood red colour, swirling into place. He stood in the shadows, all that could be seen of his face was the deathly eyes coming from the darkness, captivating the decaying humans.

They fell to the floor with thumps, arms sliding from the bars. Spastic movements occurred , their bodies jerked at inhuman angle's and their mouths opened with silent blood curdling screams and drool. Sasuke continued, his sandal's tapping at an aggravated pace. The draggled humans watched his back as he receded into the dark tunnel, their bloodshot eyes wide with fear. Sometimes they believed they were inside the bars to be protected from the inhuman monsters who walked down this tunnel.

Sasuke moodily walked down the tunnel until the smell had faded. Before him were heavy wood and steel bolted doors. He opened one effortlessly and walked in. It was the master chamber. Fires were lit by a tall chair at the back to keep the chamber warm. It smelt of Orochimaru in here. Rotting flesh and death. No wonder the prisoners were so close, he didn't realize they smelt and he liked their screams as he had told them many times.

In the tall chair sat the snake-like man. His leg was draped over the other, his elbow resting on the arm rest and his head tilted with his hand entwined in his long hair.

"Ah Sasuke-kun" he ss-ed like a snake and emphasized 'kun'. He smiled as he said this, which thinned his lips and made his eyes curve upwards.

Sasuke did not respond to the Sannin as usual. Sasuke could sometimes have a whole meeting with the snake and not say word. Orochimaru got straight to the matter at hand unlike usual, where he would ask Sasuke how he was, why was he not talking much and all questions akin to that.

"Sasuke as part of your training you will be in charge of a mercenary army I have acquired recently" he said amusingly to to get Sasuke's reaction. Sasuke frowned for a split second. "Are you not happy with that Sasuke-kun?" he said sweetly. It didn't matter if he didn't like it, Orochimaru wouldn't change his mind.

_In charge of it?_ Mercenary armies were controlled by their leader and the person funding them, which was Orochimaru. He wouldn't really be in charge, if they didn't like his decisions then they would go work for someone else.

Orochimaru was a genius himself and could work out were Sasuke's train of thought would be going. "I want you to stay with them when you can, fight with them and get to know them. And then when their leader _accidentally_ dies, you become the one they want to lead them. Is that clear?" He said it so calmly as if it was just a game. To him it probably was and to Sasuke it would be as easy as one.

"Hn"

"Kabuto will inform you of where and when, for now your dismissed." He said solemnly like the powerful ninja he was while tapping his nails on the arm rest. Had Sasuke been a lesser man he would of shuddered at the tone.

He left through the heavy doors uninterestedly without saying a word. It would take a while, this mission. Sasuke knew his time was coming. Orochimaru wanted to take his body as a vessel soon, by sending him to do this, it would be his body that the army would relate to and Orochimaru could easily take the army as his own.

_Why would he want this particular army though? Perhaps they're strong or have similar enemies. _Either way he would befriend them and kill their leader. He sighed in annoyance, he should be getting stronger, not messing around with armies. He needed to kill his bastard of a brother.

His annoyance turned to irritation. He had other things at hand right now to be annoyed about. He was coming closer to the foul smelling prisoners and they were making a hell of a racket...

* * *

Sakura had slice marks and beads of blood dribbling down her arms and the palm of her hand. She couldn't keep up, it was like they could predict her movements. The best she could do was defend with a kunai. They had thrown her last kunai out of her hand with their swords. She was now using her bare hands to catch the barrage of metal.

She brought up a mud wall to give her a chance at running away. She got out of their firing line and sprinted down the length of the edge, of the cliff. They came after her within mere seconds, her only way was backwards closer to the edge of the cliff. Rushing water was below her, the stream had turned into a giant river this far up. _Hell no, _she wasn't going to be pushed off a cliff.

She punched her fist into the ground, it cracked and shook until they fell. Sakura pounced on them as quickly as she could, she punched one in the head knocking him out cold. She saw Tansor getting up and so she kicked him far away, where he hit a tree. The tree shook and all the snow on its leaves fell to cover him.

The wolf-like man and the other put their swords away now that Tansor was out of sight. They still needed to retrieve the scroll though. Every kick and punch she aimed at them was dodged, they moved so quickly. She put all her effort in to hitting them but missed. Every hit they made connected. She couldn't breath, two of her ribs were broken, any more of this and they would piece her lung.

She didn't give up though. One of the men frowned when he went to punch her. He completely missed. Sakura raised her own fist and hit him square in the jaw. He landed backwards, his arms propping him up from his position on the floor, but he made no move to attack her. He stared at her, the wolf-like man noticed the other was staring, as he went to punch the girl he froze. Pulling back his arm, he stood still.

Sakura was in the right mind to knock him out cold, the way he left himself open but she refrained from doing so. They were acting weird. Movement by the tree suggested Tansor was getting up. She frowned at the two men angrily, ready to fight. "What?" she thundered at them and they flinched. _What the hell?_

Tansor jumped out of the snow pile to join the fight, only it had stopped. Someone who looked like Sakura stood by the cliff edge. _No it is Sakura _He told himself. The girl stood intimidatingly with piecing eyes. Her hair was pure white unlike the rest of the clans, silvery-grey hair. The sun reflected off it as though it were snow but that wasn't all. Her eyes had turned a shocking white with thick black lines forming a pattern that looked like flower petals.

It was the odd strain of their clan doujustu that was thought to have died out many years ago. Only Sakura's was slightly different. She was half Ensuki which must have been why it looked different. The white flower in her eye was over the top of her jade iris instead of the customary white iris that pure Ensuki's had. It didn't look bad or odd just different, almost more intimidating than the unusual pattern.

Had they not seen the transformation they would not have recognized the usually pink-haired girl. Her chakra was masked perfectly, if she wasn't in front of them then they would have said nothing was there. Nothing was being emitted from her. No aura no chakra not even a presence. She was a ghost. _No a shadow, because even ghosts have presences._ Tansor and the rest of them stood still as they looked at the bewildered and irritated girl.

Recovering first, Tansor called to his men. "Get her now!" he screamed. They didn't move, Tansor was the clan head but Sakura held the clan head doujutsu.

Tansor with his own silvery eyes glowing came at her as quickly as he could. There was only one way to deal with her eyes. Bringing his scimitar up faster than her new eyes could track he swept the blade across her face. The blade cleanly cut across her eyes, leaving a trail of blood in a straight line.

The shock made her lose concentration and her bloodline limit turned off. Her shocking white hair faded to pink. She tried to blink but but her eyelids were cut and her eyes stung when frigid air hit them.

Totally defenseless she stumbled backwards. She had to be careful, she was on the edge off a cliff, one fall and she'd be dead. In front of her she could feel Tansor's presence. One step forward and she'd be dead aswell.

The three other men saw what he had done and went to stop him. He would most likely kill her. True to their thoughts Tansor brought his scimitar to her face in a downwards arc. It caught her pale cheekbone just below her right wounded eye. His thrust was much deeper as if trying to make her loose her balance and fall off the cliff _or cut her head in half_. As he dragged the blade down her face he turned the blade sideways and pushed hard. It cut deeper into her skin and thicker before finally coming out at the bottom off her jaw.

His blade was coated with sticky red blood. The wolf-like man grabbed Tansor's collar and pulled him backwards away from Sakura while the other men pushed him to the floor to subdue him.

Sakura seemed to feel the pain, just after it had struck. She let out a blood curdling scream, her face was bloody and sliced, the deepest cut was the vertical one, it had alot of blood oozing out, to the right of her chin and dripping to the floor.

The wolf-like man went to retrieve the heavily injured girl, she punched him with a chakra laden fist and he was propelled backwards before hitting the snow with a crunch. "Sakura-san, stay still!, I'll come get you!" he called to her in his booming voice. She obviously hadn't realized he was trying to help her.

She stilled at hearing the wolf-like man's voice, she could trust him the most out of all of them. She felt woozy and steadied herself. As she put her weight on both feet. The ground beneath her seemed to shift. She lost her balance slightly and one of the men holding Tansor gasped before going to reach her but Tansor tried to get up. Furiously telling them to get off him, and the other man had to go back to hold him down again.

Sakura remained still but the floor shifted again. In a split second she could feel the floor beneath her feet disappear.

A crowd of voices screamed and a hand went to grab her but missed. The cliff wasn't safe. Her attack earlier had weakened it by punching the ground. The part of the cliff Sakura was standing on, slipped away from the main cliff face along with Sakura.

Her back curved backwards as she fell, everything was dark, she couldn't open her eyes no matter how much she tried. She could feel the wind pushing against her back as she fell. She would die. Dust from the cliff hit her face and aggravated the already stinging wounds.

She didn't care though. It was as if she couldn't feel it anymore, as the wind swept past her and she fell to her impending doom.

* * *

A/N: Oh no a cliff hanger! No pun intended xD


	10. Life isn't Fair

A/N: If any other authors are having problems with updating, just replace 'property.' in the URL -for the updating page- with 'content.'

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto, This fanfiction has been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

* * *

Chapter Nine: Life isn't Fair

Itachi Uchiha turned the next page of his leather bound, black book. He scanned it's content before flipping over a few more pages in disinterest. He sat in the enclave of a cliff to shield himself from the howling wind.

He paused midway though turning a page. His eyes not looking at the book but through it. He stayed still as he spread out his senses.

This far away from any civilization, there should be no people. Not even ninja. This was not a good route to take for traveling, and there was nothing out here to travel to in the first place. The only reason Itachi was there was because he had met up with his employer at this desolate place.

Above the cliff top he could feel four fairly strong chakra signatures traveling north. That was the direction he would be going, though at the bottom of the drop instead of the top. They would have the advantage of being above him if they chose to fight.

They could not sense his masked chakra, he was out of their senses it seemed. Though he could sense them from years of stretching his senses in paranoia when he first became a missing-nin.

He sat still as a stone, his face unmoved. _Perhaps they are hunter nins_, the man he got the painting for may have realized who he was and gave them a tip off. He had evaded every hunter-nin since he was fourteen years old. Nations with grudges against him had eventually given up when their shinobi never came back. So it was very unlikely they were hunter-nins.

The signatures past him without noticing he was below. They were moving fast, with one seeming to struggle, it was close to another chakra signature. It seemed one of them was holding someone against their will. They were just passing shinobi, not hunter-nins.

Itachi got up to stretch his legs. He flicked through the pages of his book. He really needed a new book, the one he had was dirty and old. He placed the old book back in his cloak pocket, he would go to a library and purchase a new one.

He contemplated what those signature's could have been doing at this inaccessible place. As he was thinking he tripped over something, his arms went out in balance. A lapse of control he wouldn't normally have had. He straightened himself up to look at the offending object he had tripped over. _How odd..._

It was a book. Itachi brought it close to his eyes so he could see it better, he noted the picture. It was of a man and woman, holding hands over a stream but each on different sides of the water. They were separated, yet together. He would not have to find a library if it was good.

He opened the front cover to a page with a hand written message. It went something along the lines of: a birthday gift to a fifteen year old Ume, from someone called Doku. Itachi looked around. _Where could this have come from?_ Shrugging mentally, he placed the book in his cloak, intent on reading it later.

As he wandered down the icy blue river, he noticed it's current was strong. It also had alot of jagged rocks sticking up, which the water swerved around quickly.

Something shocking cam into his line of view.

Something you would not expect to find, ninja or not. It was a body. A corpse.

The corpse was draped over a large jagged rock that it had probably hit when going down river. It's arms were in front being lifted upwards by the current. The exposed arms had fresh, red cuts contrasting with the white skin.

It was shocking even to Itachi. He was a ninja who had massacred his whole clan but he had known what to expect. You expect to see bodies on a battle field or at a morgue. When you don't expect something, it shocks you. On the border of a civilian country where there is no life, not even animals. You would not expect to find a body, _how did it get here?_

What shocked him more was also something he hadn't been expecting, though he never expressed the shock on his face. _Pink locks of hair. _There could only be one person with that shade of pink tousled hair. He had not expected to find his brothers, team mate's corpse as he went to his next mission. Sakura, that girl he had met a couple of times -without her knowing who he was- just happened to be dead a few feet away.

His initial shock left him and in return anger flushed through him. She was weak, so disgustingly weak that she could not prevent herself from dying. He looked at her from his spot by the river. Her hair was tangled and covering her face completely. From Itachi's position he could see the back of Sakura's head, her face resting on the jagged rock as if she were asleep.

Something within him jumped almost like a spark. A slight pulse of chakra came from her, in something akin, but not nearly as strong as hope, he got closer and stretched his senses. The weak pulse carried on, gradually getting weaker. His mouth set in a grim line, she was definately gone.

It was as if Itachi had swallowed a rock and it was sitting in the pit of his stomach, yet his demeanor displayed nothing.

After death it was common for the chakra to escape in small pulses. Itachi didn't know what he was doing or why but he went over to white, cold body and carried it out of the current. The water was frozen and so was the body. It was a dead weight.

The corpse was considerably heavier when he got out of the blue water. Droplets fell off his drenched cloak and the dead girl's clothes and long hair.

* * *

Sakura was not dead, but she might as well been. Somewhere in her unconscious mind she could feel a presence holding onto her.

It was a man, she could feel the irregular beating of his chest. There was something wrong with him, he was sick. Despite this, he was strong and holding onto her, pulling her away from a watery grave onto land where she would inevitably die.

She knew this man, she didn't know how but she could feel something tugging at her mind. His chakra, she had felt it a while ago, back where she lived, with her teammate. He made her feel edgy, yet she could not think who it was. He was dangerous, and an enemy. That's all she knew, no name or face came to mind. _Then why is he helping you? _She questioned herself and she answered back that she didn't know.

Sakura burned the signature into her brain, memorizing every waver, skip and beat of it, _the man who helped me before I died_. It was strong, far stronger than anyone's she knew of. Sakura could feel herself drifting into darkness, her awareness was falling down around her like a bombed building, as well as her ability to think. Until she was gone...

* * *

She felt so dead, it was unnatural. He felt a sense of loss and it struck deep for reasons he could not explain. _Why?_ It was not uncommon for young ninja to die on missions and he had come across a few, usually after Kisame had been through with them.

He remembered putting out the fire she'd started after falling asleep, he'd saved her for nothing. Instead of feeling like there was a rock stuck in the pit of his stomach, he felt anger towards her. It could have been irritation at her recklessness, or annoyance at her stupidity.

_She way anoying and a fool. Why did she even become a ninja? She wasn't forced by duty._ From what Itachi knew, she was born into a civilian family, she could have lived her life like a normal person. _She was a idiot who chose to risk her life, and for what? This is what she got and nothing can undo that. _He glared at the corpse that he had sat up right, resting her back on the cliff wall.

Her hair was matted with rustic blood in a tangled mess in front of her face. Itachi would leave now. Even though he had told himself to move, he chose not to. He could not move. He was still staring at the corpse in wrath, yet he could not stop himself from what he was about to do.

Walking up and reaching out to her, he brushed her intertwined, bloodied hair out of the way of her face. To see her one last time.

Itachi reeled his hand back as if someone was about to bite it. For a fraction of a second his face showed unadulterated shock as he stood unmoving before it passed and he relaxed his stance to that of a cold and calm ninja.

Her hair was moved slightly atop her head, so her face could be seen. It was the colour of porcelain and most likely, just as cold. Her once pink lips were almost grey in tone. Her eye's were closed. A slice mark of red was thinly etched over her eyes in a horizontal, straight line. A thin cut began just below her right eye before gradually getting bigger and deeper the further down her ghostly face. Some of her hair fell down in strands, limply hanging in front of her closed eyes.

Itachi shivered unintentional, he didn't care. No one could see and judge him as a ninja as shock made his body do things against his control. He closed his eyes softly, his mind was blank before it went to chaos. Blood thumped in his ears and loud noises were heard in his brain. He was enraged beyond his understanding, so much so that his fists shook slightly.

Her beautiful face was mutilated. His anger was not directed at her, but at whoever had done this. _Do they not realize how easily the tables can turn, how the hunter can become the hunted._ He would kill them all and he knew who had done it. The four chakra signatures from earlier came to mind. His eyes trailed over the cuts littering her pale arms before looking at the lacerations on her young, dead face with blood red eyes.

There was chakra residue. Strangely only some of the cuts and the two on her face had residue, that meant the others had not used chakra when fighting her. He turned his back on the corpse before doing a jutsu. Itachi exploded into a number of bluey-black tinted crows, shrieking in a similar fashion to the choler he was feeling, until he was gone from sight.

* * *

A stampede of horses sprinted along the open lands. Snow was kicked up in the air as the tall horses breathed heavily, letting out mist from their flaring nostrils. There was a man on each and every horse. The leader rode ahead by several feet, he put his hand up as a sign for them to stop, the horses slowed to a canter until they reached the leader.

The men jumped from their position on the horses backs to the snowy ground. The animals went over to the icy blue river to drink heartily. The last horse to drink was the leader's horse, a tall stallion with a dark chestnut coat and white stripe up it nose. It had a black mane and tail that were long and uncut like most of the horses.

The human leader of this group -which numbered in the hundreds- was a heavy built, yet slim young man. He had a strong jaw with amber eyes and messy, rustic coloured hair. The hundreds of men climbed back on their horses and began to pick up speed as they started running again. But the leader put his hand up to stop them once again.

"What is it Shinta-sama?" A woman around forty, heavily attired with armor, inquired the leader. He did not answer her question, but looked her in the eye then signaled to the other side of the river with a flick of his eyes. Never changing his demeanor, so the others would not pick up on what he had seen.

The woman looked to where his eyes had darted to, her eyebrows went up slightly before she nodded in understanding. They could have a whole conversation with facial expressions. The amber eyed leader, named Shinta rode his horse out of the way.

"I will follow up behind you! Karou-san will be leading!" He called out in a powerful voice, it was heard by all the men and they silently acknowledged his words. Karou ran full pelt on her horse with the other hundreds of members following in tow, leaving the young man behind.

As the last man went past Shinta, he watched them go. He walked his stallion into the icy river that they had been travelling along. The horse did not try to get out of the fast moving, frigid water. It merely trod through it, without the slightest show of protest. Shinta got off the horse, and it shook it's self dry, looking at its master with intelligent eyes.

He had made his men go onwards so they could have some much deserved rest at the camp. He stayed behind to investigate the body that was laying idly against the cliff wall. It would appear that the female was dead. She had an odd hair colouring of pink. There were cuts all over her arms and a few on her legs. The most notable ones, were on her face.

Shinta didn't know the girl but it made something inside him tick, she was the most beautiful person he had ever seen. And here she was, pale as a corpse and covered in lacerations. It made him wonder who would do such a thing, whoever they were, they had aimed to kill.

Unfortunately for them, this girl was alive. Just barely, any longer without help and she would have died. Shinta was the leader of a mercenary army, his men knew basic ninja moves and some of them were ninja themselves. He had taken it upon himself to learn medical jutsu's to try and prevent fatalities.

This girls injuries seemed to be similar to most he had dealt with. He laid her down and put his hands above her. They were green, giving warmth, while at the same time scanning her condition. What shocked him was the amount of damage and the fact that she was still alive.

There was a large amount of water in her lungs and stomach, fatal wounds all over her body, bruises, cracked ribs. Not only that but Shinta had the feeling she had fallen from the top of the cliff. No normal human could survive that. The cliff towered above him menacingly. She was lucky, surviving this and then being found by him against the odds.

He closed the biggest wounds before pumping the water out of her lungs and stomach. Her body seemed to be degenerating and he wasn't sure if his efforts would be in vain. She would most likely die.

He frowned as he concentrated on making her organs start working, she couldn't die. It wouldn't be fair. No one should have done this to someone so young and innocent. Her face resembled an angel, though the grotesque slices through her pale skin made him turn away.

Shinta knew things weren't fair in this world. He had lost so many people he had grown close to. People he had eaten with, slept by and fought with had died and left him behind throughout the nineteen years he had been alive. The same would happen to him. He had been born into the army and he would die in it, it was his home and family.

The young woman before him began responding to his treatment. Her almost non-existent chakra signature became more pronounced. The majority of his men were shinobi and he had taken the time to learn their customs along with their techniques. He could read chakra signatures.

The pretty young woman was a ninja. That explained why she was injured then, it must have been for a mission. She had failed it then, and almost lost her life. Her breathing was coming in slow inaudible breaths. Shinobi commonly had forehead protectors with their alliance engraved on the front. Shinta could see none. _Perhaps she lost it when she fell?_

The pinkette also had a giant scroll, it was over one arm loosely. Shinta moved her to the floor and looked at it while he did so. He had one just like it, his was a summoning scroll for horses. He wondered what hers might be or if it was a summing scroll and what animal she had control of. He didn't look though. He had to concentrate on keeping her alive. Even if he wasn't, he would not breach her privacy, it was not his to look at.

* * *

Itachi had followed the four chakra signature's he had noticed earlier. They continued north until he had found them. He threw kunai and shuriken at them without warning. They hadn't noticed him. All they knew was that they were being attacked. A few of the weapons had satisfyingly cut and lodged themselves into the four.

They all had white hair and eyes, one was tall and lean, one had bushy eyebrows and the other two seemed like brothers. From their hair and eyes, Itachi could see they were all related in some way or another. By their belts Itachi saw swords, the swords that had cut into Sakura. These were the people who had killed her.

One by the name of Tansor was thrashing about in the wolf-like man's hold. The others told him to stop, they put a 'dono' after his name. The man held against his will was their leader then. Itachi didn't really understand what was happening but all in all, he really didn't care. They had killed a fifteen year-old girl, _for what?_ She posed no threat against them.

The wolf like man seemed to be the strongest here. He had deflected most of the weapons while keeping his hold on the leader. But it made no difference, when they pulled out their blood coated sword, Itachi literally saw red.

When he had finally calmed down, the white snow had stained to a bloody red and pink slosh. The men were beaten and in pain. They were all cut in some form, he didn't know which ones were alive, if any. They laid on the cold snow at odd angles there mouths open in silent pain, blood leaking from their open wounds.

Itachi's eyes were blurry from using his sharingan on the fools. He sprinted at his own pace along the dead tree's littering the area. The snow fell over the four bodies and gradually built up. Itachi felt nothing for the dying men who would be covered in the cold white sprinklings, they would never be found hidden in the snow, if anything he was pleased.

He couldn't help but feel at loss, they had taken something from him. _No that wasn't it,_he only wanted her because she was gone_. _Itachi didn't know where on earth his thoughts were going. They were weak thoughts of someone who had attachments, it was worrying that he could feel that way about someone he hardly knew.

Had it been someone he was more acquainted with, such as the other Akatsuki members, then he wouldn't have bated an eyelid in concern.

These thoughts were giving him a head ache, he stopped thinking for a moment and let his mind go blank. He would not think anything more on the subject. Even as his demeanor stayed cold and his mind stayed blank, he couldn't get rid of the nagging feeling in his chest.

* * *

The amber-eyed boy named Shinta took the unconscious young lady with him. He placed her on his horse, with her body resting against its muscular neck. Then got on aswell, sitting behind her while taking the reigns in his hand.

He would have to take a detour instead of going to Tea Country, where his camp was, to somewhere else. Somewhere he hadn't visited in a while...they should be close to this area if he remembered their rotations correctly.

Shinta rode through the heavy snow around the border of Spring Country, he was heading quarter of a way to Tea Country where he believed he could find his _other_family. Not his army.

He hadn't seen them since he was thirteen. He had met them when he was eleven and traveled with them on their rotations around the nations for two years until he had gone back to his life, growing up in a mercenary army.

His father was married to an actress with great talent but had slept with another woman. The woman joined the mercenary army and gave birth to him. It was years later that Shinta met his father, along with his many half-brothers and sisters that had to partake in the family business.

They were a traveling show, they went round the nations and set up their show in various towns around the year. Shinta had hated it, he ran away after two years, back to his life within the army and never spoke to them again. Despite this, he knew they still liked him. He was their pride and joy, the only person within the family to make something of themselves. Even the random wanderer's who had joined the traveling show where fond of him.

Shinta galloped through the night, his horse did not falter with the rate they were going. The pinkette was still unconscious. He was worried she may have slipped into a coma. The thought was daunting and he hoped it wasn't true.

Light washed over the land and by afternoon he could see something in the distance.

His stiff muscles seemed to feel better as he saw the familiar wagons and horses of his old family's domain. His horse turned to look at him and he jumped off, the horse stretched in delight to having the weight off of its back. Shinta carefully lifted the young woman from the horse and carried her bridal style, with her scroll over his back, next to his own summoning scroll.

As he walked within the center of the wagons, people looked through windows and out the back of the carts. There were lots of people milling around, some were feeding wood to a big bonfire to the left. Shinta knew almost everyone of them. They squinted and looked to each other. "Shinta is that you?" someone said to him. He nodded mutely, they were still fond of him it appeared.

They rushed to his side and asked him about the girl. He hadn't been here in a while, the adults he once knew were smaller. He was taller than them by at least a foot and was stronger than them despite his age. They took him to his fathers wagon and adjourning tents. If they had set up tents that meant their stay would be longer in a single town. The pink-haired girl would not be moved for a few weeks tops. Hopefully she would wake up in that time.

They rolled out a bed in the tent. All it was, was a thick cover and pillow with a lighter cover over the top of her. Inside the tent was much like a small room, it had enough room to stand up in and a couple of stools in it.

A couple of his half-family members crowded into the tent to see the sleeping girl. They asked him about her and he gave them his brief knowledge of the girl in question. They would have to wait until she woke up.

A man past his prime walked into the crowded tent, he had bronzed hair and slight stubble. He looked around him to the sight of a pink-haired girl, whom was asleep. Then upwards to a young man with hair like his, only more red in colour. It was his son.

Shinta saw his father, he hadn't changed much. Shinta probably looked alot different from six years ago though. "Hello father." He said in his firm voice. The man smiled at his son. "Shinta-kun it has been a while." his face seemed to dip into a frown before he shook his head to dispel the expression.

The crowd overhead them conversing as they looked for thicker covers, bandages, water and such for the injured girl. "How are you?" his father asked but Shinta merely nodded as if saying 'good'. He did not want to be pressured into staying here longer than necessary, and talking would breach that subject.

"The girl was about to die, I brought her here so I could heal her injuries and let her recover. I'll heal any outstanding injuries tonight and leave in the morning." Shinta spoke professionally but with care.

His father seemed upset at this news but nodded anyways. As a last minute thought Shinta told him "I may come back in a few days to check up on her." His father's old eyes seemed to have a light in them. "I think you should." He said with encouragement.

Shinta contemplated his fathers words then left the hoarded tent. He walked round the campus. The traveling show had altered the towns it visited since he had left. He didn't remember this particular area, only the colorful wagons and carts.

Some of the carts were caged. Animals lived in these, Shinta went up to the tiger he had known as a thirteen year old. It was older now, it was sleeping at the back of the cage. He used to pet the animal, it was friendly. Putting his hand through the bars to reach its orange fur, it pounced at his hand and hissed. Shinta did not remove his hand even as the animal jumped and bite into it, lightly but hard enough to draw blood.

The tiger let go after a while before going back down on the floor in disinterest. Shinta petted it on the head and the animal let him as it purred like an oversized cat. He withdrew his hand before healing it and traveling to the show tents. The tent where the girls would dance or have flaming arrows thrown at them, along with magic tricks being shown, it was his favorite tent from a young age. The girls were pretty, gave him candy and had liked to pull on his cheeks.

He let out a big breath, it was a shallow life to live. Move around performing the same old shows, day in and day out every year. He already missed being with his companions.

Going back to the tent that the pink-haired, young woman was in, he noted everyone had left but Ami. She was a similar age to the pinkette he guessed, around sixteen.

She had had a crush on him for the few years he'd lived here. She was cleaning the girl and winding bandaged around the young woman's slashed eyes. She noticed him and smiled.

"Hello Ami-san." he said tersely but still kindly, with a nod. She nodded aswell "Shinta-san" she said in greeting without being flustered like he remembered her to be. She had grown up like him, albeit she was three years younger, she had also taken the suffix 'kun' off his name in his six year absence. She left the tent without another word and so Shinta went over to the sleeping girl.

Her organs were functioning fine, she had some head trauma and the cuts on her face hadn't been healed by him yet. He had put her ribs in the right position when he found her by the cliff but hadn't had time to heal them fully. He began mending them before going over the cuts on her body. They healed perfectly taking away the grotesque marks.

_Now her face..._Shinta delicately unwrapped the bandages Ami had just put on her. His rough hands were entwined in her pale hair and he marveled at how soft it was. Unwrapping the last strand of bandage showed all of her mutilated face. Her face was fine, the young woman was pretty, but the marks made her seem like someone out of the horror storys they told in army camps.

Shinta set to work, it would take a while to fix the facial tissue and eyes. He didn't even know if he was capable of doing so, but he tried. It would take more time and effort to restore her face as if the whole ordeal she had been through, never happened.

After working hours into the night Shinta wrapped her face in clean bandages. He placed on his black, armless haori. The mid-length sleeves had been cut by blades. Instead of throwing away the garment, he had ripped the sleeves off. On the back of the haori, it showed his rank. leader was written in white kanji, standing out from the black.

It didn't shield much from the weather but it was the custom uniform that they wore to unite the people as one. Ninja or civilian, man or woman. They were all a family in his army and he was growing agitated the longer he stayed at this place. As he wandered out into the night, he caught note of Ami's chakra signature.

He was born as a civilian fighter. She didn't know he could sense her. He walked past her signature quietly without stopping. His katana swaying on his obi as he walked. He had expected her to come out to ask him not to leave like the last time he had left, six years ago.

She was the first person within the traveling show he had ever talked to when he had found out about his father. She had been sitting by a wagon crying for an unknown reason at the time. When he left two years later they had talked by that wagon and she had been crying just like the first time they had met, though for a different reason.

Now aged sixteen, she did not cry or talk to him. This time she stayed where she was, watching him leave. He hadn't expected that. Going to his horse who was grazing, he jumped atop it, ready to leave. He would most likely come back to check on the unconscious pink-haired girl, after that he would not return. He would say goodbye when he was sure he would not return.

Ami still did not come out and so he rode away. His only light source, the shocking white moon. He would have to come back if only to see the fruits of his labour. He had tried his best to help the injured girl, to make sure there was no lasting damage, but limited medical jutsu couldn't do everthing...

He had found something on the table by her makeshift bed. It was a letter, the people who had put her in clean clothes and washed her had probably read it when he was walking around the campus. It's content was odd, he knew he shouldn't have read something that wasn't his, but the rest of them had. Ami probably had aswell. It had read:

_To my dearest daughter,_

_If you are reading this then presumably I have passed away – How are you? Remember I will always love you regardless of where I am, living or deceased, you will always be in my heart. And please, please carry on with you're life and never look back on 'what could have beens' and 'ifs', always move forward._

_Now, the reason I am writing this letter is to inform you of your, well, our heritage. You always asked me as a child and I told you we didn't have an extended family. I can tell you know that we do, please don't be upset with me darling but I felt the need to prevent you from going out and looking for them yourselves or asking questions which would lead to more confusion. We are from one of the first and most powerful ninja clans to walk these realms. My maiden name is Ensuki, years ago I left my birthplace and family to come to Konoha._

_I came to Konoha to live with your father. I was ostracised from being an Ensuki heir for being with him, an outsider. I escaped the death punishment by my status as Momo's daughter (your grandmother and current leader of the clan) and choosing to not have a child with my husband – as if that was going to happen, I was pregnant with you when I left!_

_The main reason why I was happy with moving was so you, my child, could choose how to live your life, without the pressure's of a strict clan life. You chose to be a ninja and I will always support your decision and as such, I'm am telling you this so you can grow stronger._

_It is said that our ancestors came from outer-space and first set foot on Matsu mountain. The Ensuki is a very powerful clan that have weakened over time. They are struggling to survive and will most likely die out because no one in the clan has been born with our mutated bloodline, the Yukihana, in a very long time. Without it, no proper leaders can be chosen and the strong clan members will cause destruction rather than unite it. I was next in line but unlike my mother and leaders before her, I did not get the mutated version of our bloodline limit. It has never skipped a generation before and so I believe you should inherit it. You only hold half our blood but perhaps a fresh piece of DNA into our inbred family may kick-start it, heh?_

_They live at the base of Matsu mountain to this day if you wish to go there. Tell no one you are my daughter apart from Momo. You're the youngest and will probably be the last main member of the clan - unless you decide to have children, only with a nice, caring young-man though – you understand?_

_Any way I'm going off topic, like I said the current leader of the clan is your grandmother Momo, as far as I'm aware. Speak to her if you want to know more. Bye now, I love you loads and always will, may your journey in life be blessed with good fortune._

_Your loving mother Ume_

The simple letter had sent chills down his spine. He had found out the girl wasn't a civilian - when he had found her on the verge of death. He hadn't expected her to be from a powerful clan aswell. It seemed he had saved someone pretty important. She was the granddaughter of this Ensuki clan leader.

Though he had never heard of Matsu mountain or the Ensuki's. He went down that treacherous border route once because it was quicker, but never had he seen a mountain, only a high cliff. It was not his normal route, their camp had changed places when they went under the control of a man named Orochimaru.

Or perhaps the mountain and clan were somewhere else entirely. He wouldn't know until the girl woke up.

If she had been an ordinary, he would have left her in the traveling shows hands, never to see her again. But she was a ninja, and now he had found out she wasn't any old ninja, he wanted to find out more. This girl was a raw diamond. The scroll she had with her was most likely a summoning scroll of the Ensuki clan. She could be useful, there again she could be unskilled. She had injured herself almost to the point of death which could have hindered her ability to perform as a fighter.

Sighing, Shinta rubbed his eyes with his palms. He couldn't let her slip through his fingers. If he trained her into a polished diamond, he would get close to her. If she left to go back to her clan he would be upset and if she joined his ranks, there was a possibility she could die on his watch. _Oh what to do, surely I'm over thinking things?_

A voice in his head spoke_ That young woman almost died and could stay within a coma for years, she could be blind from the damage done to her. Life isn't fair _He though suddenly. Shinta thought about this for a very long time as he made his way to Tea Country, _perhaps everything is done for a reason though?_


	11. Waking Up

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto, This fanfiction has been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

* * *

Chapter Ten: Waking Up

Ami was the one who took it upon herself to oversee Sakura's care. She assured the kunoichi's bandages were regularly replaced and the wounds cleaned properly. Among the other people to assist were Ami's closest companions Rinata, Yenyen and Eno. Together they made sure she hadn't stopped breathing or gotten too hot from the fever she had developed sometime in the previous night. Under their concerned fussing however, her fever had dropped significantly over the past six hours.

It had been two days since Shinta had dropped the girl off. Her condition overall hadn't changed much, aside from the now waning fever and if she didn't wake up soon they would have to either force feed her or invent some other way to procure her some nourishment. With every hour her condition remained unchanged, her chance of survival decreased just a little.

The four girls worried for the pinkette rather acutely, but their duties at the show never ceased. They wore heavy, extravagant make-up accenting their individual features. They were similar in that their hair was extremely long and light in color. Though they each had it pinned up in various pretty styles. They were dressed in kimonos of different colors, and walked in sharply angled high heels.

"Alright let's go, the shows starting soon." Eno proclaimed the warning dutifully to the group and made a motion to leave the tent first. Their slender figures were dressed perfectly for the show. Their angel's faces highlighted, and dusted almost perfectly to frame around their large, doe eyes. They each motioned out after her in their heels skillfully with grace. Pausing just before she too followed however, Rinata gave a backwards glance to the pinkette in worry. Sakura could be seen breathing lightly with a frown on her sleeping face. The pretty teen sighed, and exited the makeshift hospital room.

Next, Shinta's father came in to check on the girl. He was known as Chichi to everyone in the travelling show. Chichi placed the back of his leathery tan hands on Sakura's now cool forehead. A bit of relief seeped onto his face at her now broken fever. She should have woken up by now. A worried frown etched itself onto his own aged features.

As long as she was here, there was a possibility Shinta would come back. Shinta was his first born son, and his most rambunctious. Parents were not meant to have favorites but even from the very beginning, it was clear he favored Shinta. Shinta was strong, wise and was both loved and respected by the many he people had stewardship over. Chichi took pride in him because of this and the fact that he looked just like his old father.

Chichi truly wanted only the best for Shinta and he begrudgingly knew his son wasn't happy with them. He never seemed to belong in the travelling show. Despite this, the man couldn't deny that he still just wanted to see son more. And once the boy was married ( if he ever settled down at all) , he would have only more reason not to see his father. His wife would occupy his time, the duties of the army would only heighten, and then his own children would be soon to follow. Too busy for his aimless old father. And worse yet, Chichi would probably never get to see them, his own grand children. It was saddening, but he knew he should be thankful for what he already had. Still, he could not help the forlorn sigh that escaped his lips.

He also had his three elder girls, one of them by the name of Rinata and a young son. They all had various jobs within the travelling show business, but Rinata was truly the second pride of his family. Rinata had inherited her mother's acting skills whereas the other children hadn't, and her naturally shy nature made her doubly appealing to eager audiences. She the second pride of the family, but still dimmed in accomplishments when compared to Shinta.

Looking back down to the doll-like face of the girl lying in bed, he casually noted that she too had the prettiness of Rinata and her friends. They had a sister act of four, and had all dyed their hair a silvery blonde, bordering snow white to further awe the audiences.

Though her rare coloring made her striking, perhaps she could dye the shocking pink locks to match the others. She could learn the dances, and most importantly, earn her keep. He shook his head, dismissing the thought. The likelihood that she could perform as skillfully as the other girls was a rather desperately slim chance. She would most likely only drag them down.

He was led from his musings however, when he swept a look back over her face. Chichi had been surprised when he first appeared back to check on her. Since Shinta left, Ami had taken off the bandages covering her face. Shinta had said she was heavily injured, and most likely would have a mutilated face. The older man traced his thumb down the striking scar on her right cheek. Her face contorted minimally in pain in reaction, so he lifted his thumb away softly.

Her face was flawless apart from that still red, deep, vertical slash. In addition to this there was still a very pale, thin line going across her eyes, but it would probably fade in a couple days. It made him wonder if she had sustained injury to her eyes as well. Blindness could be the result when she awoke. _What a tragedy it be like to awake to darkness._ _To_ _close your eyes one moment and never_ _be able to_ _see again._

Perhaps Shinta would feel sorry for her and stay longer at the travelling show's domain to help her become accustomed to her blindness. The tiny bit of hopeful selfishness reared its head for half a second before he got rid of it. Shinta was kind, but even Chichi doubted such an act from his son. He had an army to oversee, things to do. He might not even come back to check on her. Another exasperated sigh, and he rubbed a hand through his peppered hair. But encase he did, Chichi decided they would stay in this town for a while, or maybe even go to a town that was closer to Shinta's camp.

Chichi left the sleeping girl -who really should have awoken by now- to head out to the performance tents.

* * *

Bustling visitors wandered round the wagons and carts. Most had little children attached to their hands and legs, pulling at them and chattering excitedly. They awed at exotic animals pacing around in cages and stopped for lengths of time to admire them. They had never seen elephants, lions, zebras and tigers before. Such rare creatures were either only found across the world, or in the houses of the rich. They fed peanuts to the elephants and stared with wide eyes at the lions as they slept.

Crowds could be seen filtering out of tents, some congregating around food stands and others going into the next tent for a different show. Cheerful carnival music filtered through the air and brightened the atmosphere. The sky was blue and the breeze was warm. The day was perfect.

Four girls huddled out the back of a red and white striped tent crankily as they sweated slightly from the increasing heat. Instead of their heavy kimonos, they wore simple cut, dark colored dresses. The dresses fell just above the knee, and were practical and cool. They could do mundane jobs in them while still appearing feminine.

Within the travelling show, the girls were not allowed to cut their hair short. Longer hair was favored and they were only allowed to wear dresses or skirts. It was old travelling customs, they had remained the same despite the world around them changing. So they often appeared apart of one large family

To shield their shoulders and arms from the sun, the women around the camp wore different kinds of wraps over the top of a dress. The group of the four teen girls wore a white, thin shirts that tied in the middle, making a "V-neck". To keep it in place, they wore a dark silk obi, similar in color to each of their dresses.

The dress peeked out from just beneath the white necklines and their sleeves varied in lengths depending on the girl. All of them wore their hair down. It cascaded down to the small of their back, swishing as they walked in unison, adorning simple, wooden and rope stringed sandals. Always like the matching family they appeared to be.

Walking quietly inside Chichi's adjoining tent, they knelt down by Sakura. They had been hoping her condition would have changed by the time they got back, but their hopes were dashed quickly. She still hadn't awakened.

"I wonder what her name is." Yenyen drawled casually, voicing aloud her thoughts. The girls contemplated this together as Ami looked absently to the side table next to Sakura's bed. She saw the letter that was placed there by whoever read it last. Almost everyone who came into the tent had picked it up, them included. The sleeping girl had become a rare spectacle and something to awe at in the very least. Ami gingerly picked it up and read through it again while the girls watched her.

"Well her last name must be Ensuki, right?" she mused. The majority seemed unsure but Eno nodded in agreement. "W-we won't know her real name until she wakes." Rinata added quietly. Rinata was shy and stuttered quite a bit, but when she was with her friends it didn't affect her as much. On stage, the stuttering shyness shockingly disappeared as if Rinata was naturally as robust as her friend Eno.

"I wonder what it is? It must be something pretty." Eno said dreamily, as if welcoming conversation.

"In the letter, it says her mother is Ume and her grandmother is Momo, that's apricot and peach. It must be some other fruit like..maybe a strawberry!" Yenyen replied energetically.

Rinata uncharacteristically frowned and spoke with distaste "Wouldn't that would mean her name is I-ichigo?"

They crinkled their noses in unison."That's not a pretty name at all." deadpanned Ami . After a contemplative silence they circled around Ami and peered at the letter. "Why don't we just make up a name for now, huh?" Eno suggested and they nodded happily in unison.

"She's most likely came from Matsu mountain, where that powerful clan is said to live right? It's really snowy over there." Ami said aloud after she re-read the letter. "They say that's where the Winter's child was born!" Yenyen supplied excitedly.

"...Isn't the 'Winter's child' supposed to be giant, scary demon bird?" Ami wrinkled her forehead skeptically. " Ahh nonsense! They only it made up as a ghost story to keep people away from the mountain area." Eno added confidently with a nod of her head.

Ami agreed mutely and Rinata whispered shyly. "What about Fuyuko?" The girls mulled it over and smiled together. Eno grasped the girl by the shoulders before exclaiming "That's a brilliant name Rinata!" The girl smiled weakly in return. Yenyen smirked and Ami murmured absently, "The child of winter... Fuyuko. That sounds MUCH more suitable than _Ichigo_."

"So Fuyuko Ensuki, it is then?" Eno said exuberantly. The tent walls shifted in disturbance as someone appeared into the room. It was Chichi, head of the travelling show and father of the much loved Shinta. He looked at them all puzzled as they peered back at him in interest. "Renaming her, are we?" he said seriously before the corners of his lips quirked upwards in a smile. "You should only call her that until she wakes up though." He said sternly to them.

"Yeahhh we know. But she should have woken up by now! And she like, obviously hasn't, so we decided on naming her ourselves." Eno explained to Chichi a little put out. "Fuyuko Ensuki hm? That sounds nice." He said to them stroking his chin. He truly meant his words. His eyes glanced over at the letter by the side table and narrowed his eyes slightly. He placed a hand over the letter and turned back to the girls."It seems everyone has read that letter then, hm?" Chichi said with one eyebrow raised.

The girls looked to the floor instantly in shame, avoiding the man's accusing stare. When he didn't speak however, they lifted their heads in question. He was looking to the left, towards Sakura's sleeping form. They noticed movement on the bed before they heard muted groans. Sakura was squirming under the covers. She turned on her side, letting out a quiet huff and the cold flannel landed on the pillow. The five awake occupants of the room looked on with bated breath.

"She's going to wake up!" Yenyen squealed obnoxiously. "SHHH!" Eno voiced louder still. Ami promptly cupped her hands around both the girls mouths, shaking her head in exasperation. Rinata watched quietly as Yenyen pouted at the captive Eno.

Sakura unconsciously frowned and turned to sleep on her back again with a light creek of the bed. As soon as Chichi went to nudge her, a thunderous noise emitted from the injured girl's abdomen.

"W-what was that?" Rinata whispered, shocked. The noise sounded again, clearly coming from the sleeping girls stomach, answering her question. Yenyen covered her own mouth to muffle a giggle, and Chichi smirked . "I'll go prepare some food for when she wakes up. You girls keep a close eye on her," He told them sternly, to which they nodded dutifully.

As soon as Chichi had left, the girls scrambled up from their kneeling positions to look at Sakura. They peered down at her in a unified circle.

With the bright light in the tent however, they casted a shadow onto her face. Sakura's eyes, squinted in reaction, then snapped open.

Rinata let out a rather high pitched yelp of surprise and jumped backwards, falling onto her bottom. The rest looked curiously, while stepping back to give the girl some space. Her eyes were a striking shade of jade green, sparkling like gemstones. They scanned around the room erratically. Her eyes were wide, flickered for a while unfocused on any one thing then closed again.

The girls stared at each other and pausing, at a loss of what to do. It was as if they weren't there! The girl hadn't even noticed them. " Ano...(um)" Eno started bewilderedly. Sakura's eyes flicked open again in response to her voice. Her hands then moved a little as if testing them out. She was conscious, she could move her body and hear things, but _damn _was she sore.

Sakura remained very still as her eyes stayed wide open. "Who's there?" She bit out icily, feeling like a savage animal. The girls almost flinched at her tone.

Ami went to touch her hand softly, to speak to her but as soon as the contact was registered, Sakura snatched her hand away acting as if she had been burned. She did it so fast and with enough power she would have injured Ami had she put her hand in the wrong place.

Sakura shuffled over to the head of the bed. She lifted herself up so her back was ram-rod straight. She blinked repeatedly in frustration. _Darkness_. That was all she could see. _Dammit_ o_pen your eyes! _She told herself. No matter how hard she tried to focus, she could not see. She was sure her eyelids were wide open. She put her hands to her face to check.

Shuffling noises could be heard and she automatically assessed that there were four chakra signatures in the room, all clearly untrained. Her awareness extended and concluded there were others in the distance, crowds of them, also untrained. Sakura felt her finger slip onto her eye and hissed in pain. Her eyes were definitely open, yet she could still see nothing! They were as effective as if someone had tied a cotton sheet over her head. She could detect variance in light intensity, but no real form of anything.

"Ano... Are you alright?" Eno tried again. Sakura's eyes shot upwards, looking in the direction she believed she had heard the voice.

"Where am I?" Sakura said steadily, though with a near hint of worry. She ignored Eno's earlier question and the room was quiet as they contemplated her question. How to put it in words?

"You're at Chichi's travelling show. We're currently stopped at a town close to Tea Country." Ami supplied slowly to the rigid pinkette.

She frowned in confusion. _Why_ _was she here?_ She didn't even know where she was meant to be. Or if she was meant to be anywhere or doing anything specific! Didn't she have a purpose? The only thing that meant anything to her was the location of Tea Country. It rang a bell, but she couldn't attach anything to it. Only rough images of rugged country and strange animals came to mind, but they were disjointed, and didn't supply much insight. She sighed in defeat. "Why am I here?" she asked softly in a more gentle tone. She had probably unsettled the people watching over her.

"From what Shinta told us, you were injured, and badly. He found and brought you here, but you've been asleep for days." Yenyen told her in explanation, emphasizing on 'days'. Sakura looked puzzled, while appearing to look through Yenyen. '_Injured?'_ That might explain why she couldn't see anything. _'But how did I get so bad?'_

"There's something wrong with my eyes, I can't see anything," Sakura confessed. She already figured they wouldn't hurt her if they had bothered to nurse her back to health, so it didn't matter if they knew her handicap or not. "You can't see?" Eno gasped tactlessly at the girl. Sakura merely nodded her head, a blank expression firmly plastered on her face. Quite a contrast to the storm of emotions whirling around in her chest.

The girls looked to each other unsure of what to do. Chichi then came in with a tray of bread and soup. He looked at Sakura and smiled happily, noting that she did not respond. She stared through him with no emotion. "Awake, are we?" He said to lighten the mood. Her eyes wouldn't focus on him. She nodded quietly turning her head to try and look in the direction he was going as he walked further into the tent.

"She's blind Chichi." Ami said quietly and empty sounding. Chichi's eyebrows rose up in fretfulness. "Blind?" He repeated to himself. Sakura's eye's followed. "How does she know where I am in the room?" He said accusingly but masked it as confusion.

This time Sakura spoke, though carefully since he had asked the question to the other girls. Chichi had expected her to be mute from weariness or trauma. "I can sense your chakra." She said venomously. Though the word 'chakra' meant something to her, she gave it only minute thought. She didn't know where the sudden hostility had come from either. She had the feeling this was not how she usually acted. _How do I usually act?_She asked herself helplessly, knowing the answer was not to come.

He was taken aback slightly before regaining his stiff composure, "Ah I see." He had expected her to be hoarse or at the very least, weak but that wasn't the case. If she could sense chakra, she was very obviously a Kunoichi. Ninja were different, they could come out strong even after looking death in the eye. "So you're a shinobi then. Interesting."

"What village do you come from?"

Sakura started at his use of the word shinobi. Its familiarity was unmistakable, and her quick witted mind tied the word chakra she had used earlier to shinobi. _'Shinobi...that must be what I am. A ninja. But aren't I supposed to know where I'm from? Who I fight for?' _And in her silent dialogue she realized this man wasn't bad even though he had had accusation in his voice. Her tone softened but only slightly. "I come from.." Sakura let off the sentence slowly. '_I-come -from_..._Where?' _The room was silent as she thought it over. '_Where do I come from? _She asked herself this again, Her mind yielded her no answer. It seemed that when she thought about it, her mind was as blank as a canvas.

They waited patiently but no answer came from the girl. Sakura frowned into the darkness that was her sight. '_Maybe this is a dream', _she couldn't even see the people she was talking to and it certainly felt like one. _'What a crap dream..I'm freaking BLIND_.' "Ano..." a voice broke through her musings coming from one of the four female chakra signatures.

_I'm from..._ The blankness continued. "I can't remember at the moment." She opted cooly, instead of saying flat out, she had no idea. She doubted she would remember any time soon.

They shuffled around quietly unsure of what to say next. Sakura could feel her stomach request for food painfully, though she sucked in her gut to quell the noise. It would be rude to guzzle down the hot food, in front of the others. '_Well, I guess I still have some manners. I wonder if I had them before...All this too.'_

Suddenly the silence was broken with Eno's high pitched voice. It was a question they had all been wondering at some point or another throughout the time she had been asleep. "What's your name?" she blurted. "I'm Eno by the way." she added quickly, blushing at her own lack of manners.

Sakura took the question in and thought it over quickly. She was sure if someone asked her that question, her mind was meant to bring up an answer instantaneously. _Names, everyone has a name! Even Shinobi, despite being tools_. _Wait what?' _The old teaching seemed to tether a long with her position as a shinobi, yet nothing else was attached to it. She catalogued it to be thought about later_. _Her brain had either stopped functioning like a normal human being or was incredibly slow. '_My name is...'_ she started as if willing her brain to do the rest.

In an effort to get more time, she slowly turned her head to where she had heard the girl known as Eno speak. Her mouth opened but nothing came out. The occupants of the room stayed quiet so they wouldn't miss what she had to say. To their disappointment, she closed her mouth and turned away. '_What's wrong with me?' _The inner dialogue was brimming with a sudden, cold sadness.

Chichi could see she would not respond to their question, or rather appeared unable to. The reason why, he was unsure. It didn't seem as though she didn't want to tell them. It was more like she didn't know herself. "You don't have a name?" He asked, unsure of what exactly to say to her.

Her mouth opened before shutting again in repetition of before. She looked to his position and spoke. "I have a name, I just don't... I don't remember it." Her tone, though slightly biting, sounded rather pathetic. She kept saying she didn't remember but it was more like it wasn't in her brain to begin with, the knowledge was just...gone.

Chichi and Ami thought it over in a comfortable silence while the other girls looked fretful. Chichi had his thumb to his chin in thought.

She had gravely injured herself, Shinta had not told them how. He had assumed it was from a blade, but if she was having trouble remembering things then she may have hit her head. The memory loss could be short-term amnesia. Amnesia was very rare, though it's effects could last anywhere between a few hours to a few years.

Some people never regained their memories, but they had familiar people to help them remember. People who could tell them their names, take them to their house and help the person remember others they had met in the past. With this girl, they couldn't exactly do that. They knew nothing about her, or even where they could begin. Hopefully she would remember in time.

To add to her predicament, she was blind. Closed off from the world around her with no memories.

Ami seemed to be thinking the same thing he was. "You don't think it's amnesia?" she asked Sakura insightfully. Sakura's unfocused eyes got bigger a fraction, and then snapped to the ceiling of the tent in deep thought. She was quiet for a while, as unknown-sourced knowledge passed through her mind. '_Amnesia...the acute loss of a person's unique individuality matrix, namely memories and even personality traits in extreme cases. It was mostly caused by degenerative diseases brought about by age. However in extreme cases of traumatic events, amnesia takes place as a mental and emotional defense mechanism. Head injury and trauma was also a leading cause in such cases. Memory regaining is a probable, though an unlikely result if I'm stuck in a place I'm pretty sure I don't belong. ..How did I know this again?'_ The knowledge appeared out of seemingly thin air, and sounded like something one would read out of some kind of technical dictionary. The Kunoichi wrinkled her forehead in confusion at her own thoughts, but shook her head and sighed quietly. She replied dully "Perhaps."

Her voice was empty and cold for someone so young. Such a burdensome life style for a girl her age. She had bright pink hair and a beautiful, youthful face. She would have made one hell of a career just on looks alone in his industry. Her unseeing eyes showed a numb feeling, no hopes or dreams. There was nothing. Girls her age where enthusiastic and loud. They liked to squeal, herd together and talk about boys as far as he was concerned.

They cried a lot and got upset over trivial things, and rarely saw passed the surface. This was entirely different. Chichi had met a few shinobi in his life time. They all tended to have a dark humor and kept to themselves, most likely out of self preservation. Civilians didn't understand them, and with most likely a justified distrust. And it was true, most didn't understand their way of life and never would.

He couldn't understand them himself actually. They killed people, murdered, poisoned, seduced, stole and assassinated. Then they would go back to their friends and family, as if nothing happened? They lived with blood on their hands, the death of others constantly on their minds. Shinta's face came to mind briefly at this last thought. His own son? He killed people on a daily basis. That could be the reason why he had such an aversion to seeing his real family, he knew they would never understand him. A small sadness welled up in his chest. Why did they always have to be so young?

Shinta killed people who knew they were going to die on the field though. War was always different. Ninja killed undercover. Dirty business of others, and they did it for the money. There was a difference but he could understand why Shinta preferred being with his companions better than his own father. They lived the same life and understood each other, Chichi could not claim he knew what his son had been through in his life because he didn't. He just hadn't been there.

He had grown so old in a short amount of time, even as the eleven year old that Chichi first saw as his son. He had acted older than he was, and in truth, had probably lived more lifetimes than he himself could ever claim.

Chichi looked to the blind girl who was suffering from what he personally concluded as amnesia. She spoke bitterly and firm. She acted stronger than she had to, and he was reminded painfully of the world she was exposed to. She was just a child, yet she was most likely older, mentally, than most adults who still laughed at perverse humor and shied away from responsibility. He wondered again if having her here would lure Shinta to see them more. After all they could relate, they could understand each other.

The girl on the bed had been sitting rigidly straight since he had seen her awake. "Why don't you eat something for now and rest a little? I'm sure you'll remember in a few hours." He told her firmly but kindly, trying to give her a little hope. He placed the food tray on her lap while folding her fingers gently around a spoon.

She jumped slightly at the contact, in a defensive reaction and stiffened as if she was going to attack him. "I'll come back later." He stated softly before heading out of the tent into the warm sun.

* * *

Sakura ate with the three sixteen year-olds watching, feeling rather like a cell under a microscope. _'...Okayy..more weird medical nonsense...Was I a part time nurse or something?' _They bantered with each other as she listened in on their conversations and ate. They seemed to be calling her Fuyuko, so she went along with it casually.

When she finished her food she questioned them about the choice of name. They told her about the name they had made for her, also about the letter on the side table. She would have read through it but Sakura couldn't, so the girl with the prettiest voice, Eno, Sakura remembered. read it aloud. She didn't dare believe it was true.

It was far-fetched at best and the letter may not have been to her. It may very well have been a letter she was delivering to a friend. With that in mind she dismissed the thought of it. Her condition was of more importance than a flimsy letter.

The girls dragged her out of bed, and chanced a walk around the camp grounds. Her body was still sore as hell, but she hid it well enough. The ground had cool-feeling grass and a beaten patch of dirt where people had walked it flat. It was busy, noise was abundant. Fairground music and children's wailing filled Sakura's ears.

"Where are we?" Sakura finally asked loudly, after being guided around and feeling rather like a lost puppy. She had fallen over dirt mounds and other people's feet. She realized, albeit begrudgingly, it felt rather nice to have been out of that small bed. She walked at a slow pace and uneven in her steps. She'd never really accounted how heavily she relied on sight... that is if she could remember why she relied on it at all. Ninja were meant to be well versed with all senses yet she could hardly travel from one place to next without so much as a stumble.

The other teens had given her encouragement at how well she was coping. But as a Kunoichi (Another familiar word to her) she felt like it was truly a pathetic sight. "Where are we?" she asked again since they had been preoccupied steering her around a tree.

"We're at Chichi's travelling show still. Next to all the private tents though." Ami said in explanation. Sakura nodded, that would explain the noise and sugary smell drifting in the warm air. The sugary scent of things she couldn't place almost made her mouth water. What were they? When they finally stopped, it was somewhere quieter and there were less chakra signatures. She relaxed a little.

There was an intense heat though, and the air seemed heavy with moisture. She tugged at her collar a little uncomfortably, and catalogued the fact that she didn't like the heat. At all. They sat down on what seemed to be woody in feel and texture. And even in smell. A log? A thick, almost choking smell reached Sakura's senses too. She concluded this as smoke, and felt minute pride that her brain hadn't completely turned to mush. They were most likely near an open bonfire. Sakura could feel a few chakra signatures milling around also.

Ami left them momentarily to speak to an elderly lady, and then they went into a heavily decorated wagon, with shiny purple curtains, and other women mulling about. There were many rolls of fabric, some expensive like satin, and others cheap and light like cotton, hung along with traditional clothes. Ami called for Eno, Yenyen and Rinata to bring Sakura up into the large wagon.

Sakura had been wearing a plain sleeping gown that could have easily be seen as a light-weight, sun dress, though it was a little dowdy in style. She needed some proper clothes. Her boots, cloak, and the large summoning -the only items in her possession- were still hidden beneath her bed back at Chichi's private tent. Her battle garb was too bloody and ripped and thus had to be thrown away.

When Sakura stumbled out, she was wearing a dress and pristine white shirt over the top of it. Like the other girls had, though hers was black with glints of dark jade green. She wore a black obi to hold the shirt in place whereas the girls had matching blue ones. The dress was short in style to a cocktail dress, though practical and was made from cotton. Over the top she had the matching white blouse shirt. Sakura felt like a ninja but at the same time silly in such dark clothing, and wondered if she would have picked this herself had she remembered her own preferences.

To Sakura it just felt as if she was being poked and prodded, again like the cell under the microscope. There was a tight piece of cloth around her already thin waist but the clothing seemed to be flexible and breathable, so she put forth no qualms about it. Plus, the dress was short enough that she could run if she felt the need to do so, if she could make it past the treacherous dirt mounds that was.

She remembered her boots and the cloak she had left back at the tent. Had it been cold where she came from? A flash of memory of an old man, and a ratty cloak flashed in her mind, but it faded as quickly as it came. She frustratingly pushed a lock of hair behind her ears.

Sakura tried to think of her name and where she had come from as they walked back to Chichi's tent. She still couldn't remember and nothing was becoming any clearer.

"Fuyuko, what's that on your chest?" Eno asked the pinkette randomly, to which she just stared back in puzzlement in the direction of the girls chakra signature.

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked with a frown. She felt her chest as if trying to feel for whatever it was that the loud girl was talking about.

Ami held her hand away from it lightly to get a look at the small jade colored diamond.

It was the exact same color as her gemstone eyes. It wasn't too noticeable but it was something you would pick up on if you stared at her long enough...why had Eno been staring at her?

Sakura seemed totally confused, she had no idea what they were looking at.

"Don't worry Fuyuko, it's not really that noticeable. It's a green diamond, right above you're dress line." Ami told her. Sakura nodded, they had been calling her Fuyuko all day.

She was a ninja which probably meant it was some type of seal she had placed on herself in the past. She wondered what it could do. Directing chakra to it would most likely set it off, now wasn't the time to test it though. The knowledge of this particular seal brought no particular memories forward, though she attested the emotions of pride, and even a tiny hint of love to it.

The mark could be seen as her shirt was hanging low. Sakura didn't really mind, most people had the tact to not stare and wouldn't ask, unlike someone else she knew. The annoyance of tactlessness seemed tied to something else, like she was exasperated with having to deal with it all the time. She stopped suddenly, and furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. No images surfaced, but intense emotions... she had towards _someone _surfaced. Loyalty, deep, abiding devotion, friendship, anger, amusement, and pride. _'...Did I have a friend like Eno before?' _Still, no answers came. She shook her head, and kept moving before the girls noticed her spacing. They had told her it looked pretty and that it was the same color as her eyes. She asked them offhandedly what color eyes she had and they told her they were emerald colored. Green.

This surprised Sakura, she had thought they would be brown, though she didn't know why. She didn't remember what eye or hair color she had or even what her face and body looked like. They gathered that she couldn't remember what she looked like and started describing her so she knew. Eno got the satisfaction of telling Sakura her hair color.

Sakura hadn't believed them until asking the shy and truthful Rinata. She had to believe them when the timid girl agreed. When they got back to Chichi's adjourning tent she had asked one last time to Chichi and he confirmed it. '_Pink hair? What the hell kind of ninja was I?'_

"Fuyuko do you think you can manage on your own? We need to do one last show for this evening." Sakura nodded lightly to Chichi. "I'll try to not move around." She said as she moved away from the girls. Her hands traced the walls of the tent as she reached the makeshift bed and felt around on the covers before she sat down.

She was faring well for being blind and recently injured. Sakura's eyes hurt, they were pulsing with pain, but she had acted normal. Her ribs hurt with every breath she took but she quelled the pain and breathed lightly. She was a Kunoichi and knew she was not meant to show weakness.

The girls got changed into sparkly leggings, black stiletto heels and long, form fitting black t-shirts, instead of the heavy, colorful kimonos they had worn for the morning show. Their hair was in delicate ponytails and their make-up was put on light. Sakura sat in silence until they left. "Bye Fuyuko!" Eno and Ami called out, leading the group like usual. "See ya Fuyuko!" Yenyen quickly added. Rinata waved shyly, forgetting she couldn't see it before saying "Bye." in a timid voice.

As each of them left Sakura was left to sit on the bed in silence to dwell in the darkness of her mind. It was empty, she could hear far off noises, if she concentrated she could hear conversations. Snippets of them as visitors walked around in the dimming daylight. Everything was sharper, more defined. The covers of her bed were coarse but soft from being well used. It was warm and the air smelt sweet. She attempted to relax herself, and release some of the stress.

She was safe, alive, and had a place to stay. That was something to count for right?

Despite all this, she felt like she was in a hole with no way out. It was an empty and dark place where she was. She was living in the unknown with no recollection of her past. All she could see was darkness, a never ending tunnel. Sakura had a feeling it was similar to being buried alive. There was no way out, it was dark and no one would save you. Helplessness would be all that you knew.

Tears nearly welled up in her eyes, but she smashed them down fiercely. She allowed herself to lull into a light sleep, listening to the muted sounds of carnival music. While she slept, she dreamed of nothing but light. Green light, and blue light. The green light, life giving, healing chakra. The blue light, powerful, and deadly in its use. It traced around itself in a specific pattern, one she had sworn to herself she would not forget. _The chakra signature of the one who saved her life._

* * *

B/N: Myyy goodness this was so fun to do! And Thank you JA for letting me be apart of it! :DD HIYA GUYS! I'm Suri, and I guess the official betareader of Yukihana. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, this brilliant twist made the story even better thanks to JA :] I'm just here to help! Sakura seems a little lost.. I sure hope she can figure a way out of this one. Should be interesting to say the least ! :3 Suri


	12. Of Legends and Storybooks

**Disclaimer:** Naruto and its characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto, This fanfiction has been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

* * *

Chapter Eleven: Of Legends and Storybooks

_A few days previous_

Beneath the silvery full moon hanging above in the inky sky, the diamond kissed surface of the snow shimmered, reflecting back the ghostly rays of its celestial light source. Though beautiful, the scene was eerie. If one listened closely, muted groans of pain and exertion deep within the subzero beauty of a snowy grave could be heard. The persons of Tansor and one other had released the genjutsu from its effects. The snow was compacted all around them in the form of a would-be tomb. They were frozen to the core, but still alive.

"Oo..Ookami, are you a-a-alive?" Tansor grunted weakly at the other man between shivers. The animalistic looking man only feet from him grunted in response to his question.

From Tansor's feeble position in the snow, he shifted his weight to draw his knee up, and then kicked it out to lash at Ookami. "You're go-go-going to d-die like the other t-t-two, _traitor_!" He spat the threat at the silent, unmoving opponent as the blow landed against the other man's torso. Ookami lay motionless, withstanding the blow with his eyes shut and fist clenched.

Between ragged breaths and repressed shivering, Tansor forced himself onto his back and reached for the sword that was stabbed into a frozen pile of snow not far from his reach. Its hilt protruded from the ground towards the brightly lit sky and its blade sunk nearly up to handle in the frozen ground. In a sudden moment, it seemed to hum to life with energy. An opaque, purple tinged light licked the blade like a flame where it touched the snow, and began turning melting the surface from its heat. The humming, heated up steel contained something ominous. The frigid aura seeped out from its core. It was the vibrant soul of someone long dead.

As Tansor rigidly sought it, ready to kill the wolf-like man, Ookami's eyes snapped open in an instant and his lanky fingers wrapped around the blade instead. Tansor snatched back his hand and gaped with shock at the empty space where the sword had once been.

He began stuttering fearfully, peering across the expanse of snow at the larger man. His protests were however, soon cut short. Ookami had pulled the mysterious sword in a downwards arc towards his opponents neck in a quick, lithe motion. Tansor's decapitated head rolled away from the cleanly cut wound, leaving its torso behind in a macabre spread. Blood soiled the white purity of the snow, and the body crushed the delicate powder beneath its dead weight. A puddle of crimson spilled across the surface of the ground and shortly began to sink into the moisture beneath it, allowing more snow to blanket the top.

Ookami peered down, disgusted at the fallen man. He was truly a disgrace to those he claimed to lead. He turned his back upon Tansor's remains, and looked to the sky from where he stood. He stabbed the blade back into the frozen earth by his side and closed his eyes softly. Slowly, he sank to his knees, allowing the wounds he only just noticed, to be numbed by the life stealing cold. Eventually, he fell from his kneeling position, onto his back, and allowed himself the luxury of finally slipping away. He could die peacefully knowing Tansor would no longer corrupt his proud clan. Had he been able to live through this, he himself would have had to revive the pitiful, dying family that Tansor had left behind in his wake. The clans greatness had long perished - thanks to Tansor - but perhaps he could have revived the family itself. Lead them back into true unity, and remember their history proudly.

He released a ragged breath of hazy steam and allowed new, light sprinklings of snow to pile atop his broken body. And just as he his disgraceful death become acceptable to him, a beautiful but eerie sound whispered through his ears . "Another bond has been broken,"a ghostly, angelically feminine voice echoed.

Ookami's eyes snapped open, and widened in almost instant recognition. He knew that ethereal voice. It was Yamatori... the demoness guardian of the mountain, and protector of their clan. It was half instinct, and half drilled-in knowledge of her identity, and what exactly he was about to face. He began to quiver, whether it was the cold, or the anticipation, he wasn't consciously sure.

What he saw wasn't exactly what he'd been expecting however. A woman with hair far paler than the surrounding fallen snow and obsidian shining eyes that pierced his being, seemed to have materialized from nowhere. Her porcelain skin seemed to glow, and only add more beauty to the icy surrounds. She was walking around the dead bodies with aloof concern. She wore a long gown, dotted with crystal sequins in a complex, beautifully intricate pattern flowing down with long sleeves. It was powdery white, just like her hair.

She gracefully knelt down into the snow by each half-buried body and ghosted a touch on each fallen person's cheek, before their empty vessels simply vanished into snow. She stopped suddenly by Tansor's decapitated head, and delicately stroked a silver hair behind his ear before sending the head and torso into the snow also. All the bodies had turned to snow but to Ookami, she smiled at serenely. He could only stare back in a resolute mixture of fear and awe.

"Ya..Yamatori-sama? I-is that y-you?" Ookami spoke to her in a hoarse, cracked tone. The fatigue and shock causing his weakness. She nodded to him softly, "This is my only mortal form, and one I cannot hold it for very long." She quietly approached him, and kneeled next to him in the cold snow, he froze in momentary anticipation, but did not fight for the lack of energy. She lifted him up in her arms and the snow fell from him daintily. Ookami was a man of great stature, and with him in her slender arms, he felt as if he was being lifted by nothing but air. She moved without strain or effort. In fact, it seemed as if she hardly noticed him there at all. She paused for a moment longer before turning her head to the blade which still protruded the frozen earth. She caressed the ornate hilt, and the purple flame ceased to burn around it. She then grasped the sword, and continued on her pace away from the tragic scene.

She moved as if to glide along the snow, never breaking pace. "You killed him then." She asked in passive tones. It was not a question but a statement, She was talking about the decapitated form of Tansor.

Ookami swallowed guiltily, unwilling to meet the goddess-like women's inquiring eyes. He felt a stirring in his soul when he gathered the courage to respond to her."...Yes Yamatori-sama. I am the one who killed him." But Yamatori said nothing, truly uncaring about what the humans did to one another, she stayed far apart from their petty affairs. If they wanted to kill each other, ridiculous as such acts were, then so be it. She had no concern of interest as to what consequences would follow. A frown adorned her features however.

"Now there are only two bonds left." She said this with obvious disapproval. Ookami contemplated the quiet accusation quickly. There had always been two, Tansor and Sugo. But now that Tansor was dead there should only be one. "Two?" he asked hesitantly. Yamatori nodded passively and responded, "The odd, half blooded girl recently made a connection with me. The one with pink hair." She said this in slight irritation at having to give an explanation.

"But Tansor killed her..." He blurted out the thought without much consideration.

The only way Sakura could have made, and maintained a connection with Yamatori was if she was still alive. Yamatori merely shook her head with a soft sigh. Why did humans always question her obviously superior knowledge. It was as if they forgot who and what exactly they were getting the information from. 'Mortals sometimes...Hmph.'

She peered back at the gaping man in her arms, her expression emotionless. Ookami stared, '_is she saying Tansor didn't murder the girl after all?' _They were silent throughout the trip as Ookami realized with sudden inspiration that perhaps Sakura had truly survived the fall.

But how long would she manage such a fortunate turn around? She had to have been injured at the least! How long could she manage to survive without aid? And in a place she hardly knows?

Sugo wandered aimlessly by the outskirts of the clan compound, impatiently waiting for the arrival of those he could almost feel. He had sensed them coming for miles, and had instinctually gone to the spot which he guessed they would go. He respectfully bowed to Yamatori, and assisted Ookami into a standing position as soon as she arrived. Almost as soon as Yamatori had let go of Ookami, she was covered in a brilliant white light in almost an instant, and appeared back into a small white bird. Her wings drooped as she caught her breath, the human voice shocking the injured man she had just carried. "I've never been in that form for so long while in the mortal world, it's very exhausting you know!" She said a little winded, though significantly less formal in the presence of Sugo.

"Yamatori-sama, what has brought you here?" Sugo questioned, concerned. The only way Yamatori could arrive here by herself was when there was a full moon present and she never expended the great effort it took to come on her own unless something terrible had happened. "Tansor has been slain. And thus the bond between us has broken, I came to dispose of his body properly."

Yamatori whom still held the sword which Ookami had used to kill Tansor, realeased her grip upon it, and it disappeared in a plume of smoke. She nodded to Sugo again with only a soft smile upon her face. Ookami was thankful the demoness hadn't alluded to how or by whom's hand Tansor had fallen, but off handedly wondered why she had taken the blade he had been murdered with.

Though he had guessed an answer already. The spiritual sword generally given to the clan leader, and because Tansor had fallen, a new leader would have to be chosen properly before the sword was to be wielded again.

Sugo, despite the news, let out a breath of relief. Sakura was safe then! A bout of selfish pride seeped into his chest. His granddaughter was strong, intelligent, and she had made him proud to have found her. Though he had suspected that she may have injured herself and so Yamatori went to help her. The bird demon had come because Tansor had died... he was just glad it wasn't his granddaughter in the pathetic leader's place. Sakura would probably arrive home soon enough.

Ookami saw the relief in the old man's milky eyes and felt a pang. Sugo's granddaughter would be injured and her whereabouts unknown, and he had no idea of this. It was truly his fault he went along with Tansor, it was his fault he didn't stop Tansor sooner. The girl's blood would be on his hands and conscience if something happened to her. He would have to tell Sugo everything.

* * *

_Four weeks later_

Sakura had been at Chichi's travelling show for several weeks. She had settled into being known as Fuyuko Ensuki all over the camps, though she still had never agreed to it. She merely decided to just go along with it.

They could call her what they wanted, as it didn't really affect her anyway. It wasn't as if they were going to just call her 'pink-haired girl' or 'you' while she stayed there. Or even worse, the irritating nickname 'Pinky' that Eno had so affectionately seemed to have picked up. She still had a hard time accepting her hair color, and that simple name only gave fuel to the easily flammable temper of hers.

Throughout her time here, not many changes had taken place however. Sakura, after many painstaking weeks of becoming accustom to her blindness, and all the physical handicaps she now faced, never regained her true sense of self. Her sight stayed dormant along with her alluding memories.

Certain things would come to her occasionally, usually in her sleep or in the heat of a conversation. Though they were always just out of grasp when she woke up, or thought about them later. And even when she could recall them, they were vague, and meant little without any context.

Distant encyclopedic knowledge that she had once crammed in her brain seemed to be a constant however, cropping up in random situations, and never in the same patterns. Healing ruptured kidneys, lung punctures and even eye surgeries were some of those intricate procedures she retained. She knew how to do all that and more.

Yet to no avail could she remember anything about _her_, where she came from or faces of people she must have met in her past. _Anything_, that could return her true identity.

She remembered things that she guessed were basic for Shinobi. Passive protocol, facts about the Kages and the major hidden villages, _Information. Yet _no pictures, maps or anything usual of that sort came to mind when her would-be occupation reached her thoughts.

Unlike her medical knowledge, it seemed as if her life as a shinobi had only been a story she read somewhere. She only got the smallest glimpses of information now and again.

She was a medic and a kunoichi, that she knew. From where and how capable? She couldn't be sure. There could be countless things like jutsu, and powerful techniques that she would never remember. Perhaps not even her history nor the village she hailed from.

Nothing seemed to make herself seem like a real human being that belonged somewhere. Did she have a family that worried about her? A mother and father? Perhaps a sibling or two? Friends maybe? Had she been loyal to those she cared about? Did she love her country? Was she social or reserved?

Her intricate knowledge suggested that she had a lot of free time. Did that mean she had only a few friends? If any at all? Perhaps even.. A lover of sorts? She wrinkled her nose in reaction to that last thought, more out of disagreement if anything. It was rare for shinobi to take part in such trivial things wasn't it? Too great a risk.

Sakura was beginning to believe she was a rogue-nin from far away, who had nobody to care for her. Surely someone would have found her by now right? Wouldn't a family scour the earth for a missing daughter? And surely, if she _had_ a lover, wouldn't he... or she, have come searching for her?

Sakura blinked in sudden skepticism at her own musings. _She_? 'No freaking way. I may have lost my memory, but even _I_ feel like that's all wrong, Chanaro!' She stopped walking and blinked again at the sudden inner dialogue. Where had that come from?

A whirlwind of emotion wrapped itself around her as she continued on her way. She squeezed her eye shut in reaction. She would have to be strong and wait it out, perhaps someone would come for her in time, or she would find a place to go. She would have to stay away from hidden villages encase enemy shinobi recognized her. It could be fatal for her if they attacked in her weakened state.

"Hey! Fuyukoo-chan!" Yenyen's voice rained out across what seemed to be a clearing surrounded by a heavily wooded forest. Trees swayed under the gentle press of the warm breeze. Their leaves rustled and birds atop high branches chirped nonchalantly. "Hello everyone." Sakura said quietly, though still delicately and appealing.

Her back was turned to the four chakra signatures, letting the warm sun hit it. The land around the travelling show campus was lower than the surrounding terrain, so the constant rain in the winter had caused the uneven surface in the earth, leaving behind the exposed roots of trees.

As Sakura turned to greet them properly, she felt her foot latch into the crook of a root. She skillfully reacted, and re-positioned herself so that she would not fall for the hundredth time. Tree roots were tricky to detect, and this place had more than enough to make a simple walk lethal.

Lucky for her it also had trees with flexible branches and the thick foliage made plenty of easily-heard noise. They were easy to locate and go around as long as wind and wildlife were present.

The sounds were subtle but still there. Something only a blind shinobi could appreciate. The sounds of the air bending and whistling as a blade pierced the air or when footsteps fell almost silently against tree bark. This was something else that she had managed to pick back out of her ruined memories.

This particular skill came in handy for Sakura and her placement at the humble camp of travelers.

For the past two weeks, she had come out here with her would-be companions as they practiced their routines. They had often asked Sakura to join them on the ones choreographed for five when the occasion called for it. From then on, they noticed she didn't trip as much, and almost graceful movement wasn't beyond her grasp. She in fact, was a very skilled dancer. So Sakura became a part of their daily ritual and danced with them in their training hours.

"If I didn't know any better, I would say you had 20-20 vision Fuyuko-chan." Ami praised with obvious awe. "It's from all the dancing!" Eno added rather enthusiastically. Yenyen grinned and Rinata nodded shyly in agreement, a soft smile upon her delicate face.

Sakura grinned proudly back, unable to hide her obvious relief at progressing, "It's helped a lot! But how can you call this dancing? One wrong step , and all of us will end up with a broken limb!" Yenyen grinned, prideful, and waved off the pinkette's doubts, "That's why we're the best of the best!"

"It's amazing you can even keep up with us, with your handicaps." Eno said playfully while flicking her snowy-flaxen hair over her shoulder, once again without tact. This time, all Sakura felt was sadness. She looked to the floor with a frown, forgetting the others had sight, and could see her.

Eno's face crumpled in sudden regret and quickly appeared over by her side. Her blue eyes glittered with concern, "Hey, I didn't mean it like that! You're spectacular Pinky-chan! Chichi has been thinking of having you join our act even!" Eno said joyfully, while nudging Sakura's shoulder.

Rinata looked at Eno with disapproving brown eyes. Ami frowned while Yenyen looked away shaking her head. "You weren't meant to tell her yet, _Eno_." Ami said accusingly, irritation obvious in her tone. "Ah-oops!" Eno said looking quite guilty, while rubbing the back of her head in a sheepish grin. "...Er, well, she was going to find out eventually anyway!" She added while shrugging her shoulders, and dismissing the guilt with a shove of her nose in the air.

Sakura gaped up at the group of pretty girls, eyebrows raised with obvious disagreement. "Maybe Chichi hasn't noticed, but _I'm sort of blind._" She said this with emphasis, then looked back down with saddened eyes.

"And? Your still impressive, you haven't had one slip up yet! You don't even trip on tree roots anymore!" Yenyen encouraged, attempting to smooth over the distressed kunoichi's sudden mood change. Sakura's lips thinned, "I guess it has helped a lot." She said with fake enthusiasm '_I suspect Chichi wants me to start earning my keep.'_Her tone was bitter at the thought_. _"That's the spirit!" Eno said happily, clapping her hand to Sakura's back almost a little too harshly.

Later in the evening they retired back to their separate tents. Rinata and Sakura walked towards to the same one. It was Sakura's temporary home for the time being, and she had become quite attached to it.

As the two walked in silence Rinata pointed to the sky. Rinata blushed at her own mistake for a moment, after having realized Sakura didn't react to her. She placed a hand on Saura's shoulder and looked up to the sky. Rinata gazed at the moon, alone in the sky without any clouds. "It's been awhile since the sky has been clear e-enough to see the moon...can you feel the light Fuyuko? " Rinata asked to Sakura.

The light bathed the pair in brilliance, and Sakura could indeed detect the bright intensity behind some of the darkness. She paused, another brief moment of sorrow before she brushed it away absently. "I bet it's lovely."

* * *

Sakura felt she must have done something to someone because this _had_ to be hell. All seemed suddenly lost as she found herself bound by bone crushing ropes, trapped in a tiny iron cast cage suffocated by a gut wrench stench that smelled worse than death.

She jerked around the small box unwillingly bending to gravity as she accepted the fact that she that was being dragged up a hill. She was together with countless other metallic cells. They were as small as hers, and in which other prisoners were tied. Haunting, pain brimmed screams echoed in her ears, and she shut her eyes tightly in attempt to block them out.

They reverberated throughout her entire being, and made her want to crawl out of her own skin. Painful and powerless. She didn't know what was going to happen to her at the top of the hill when they reached the destination, but she understood vaguely that it would be something terrible.

In horrific acceptance, she couldn't complain because she understood, terrifyingly, that she felt she deserved whatever was going to happen. Sakura felt that she had been given an important task, and it wasn't accomplished. She had failed and she knew that there would be no redemption. She also knew that she would pay dearly for her failure.

It didn't matter if Sakura was surrounded by strange, corpse like ghosts carrying her to her doom. It didn't matter that she was bound so tightly she could hardly breathe. It didn't even matter that nobody had ever told her what the important task was what she had to accomplish. The only thing that mattered was that she had been given a purpose and failed.

Hadn't that been what she had been wishing for only hours before? A purpose? Why did she squander it?

The souls of the damned around her screamed only further as she felt the pace of the creature carrying her slow. She had refused to open her eyes to see anything, but she knew it was not anything she had encountered before. Deep, animalistic bellows echoed through the small bars of the iron box, and rumblings of whatever hell-born abomination that carried her shook her to the very core. Dread. Failure. Dread. Self loathing. Hatred. _Failure._

Every negative emotion the human race had ever felt seemed to conjure up out of nowhere, and find a hole in the young girls chest. She fell to her side on the floor of the small, icy cold cage. Her skin became clammy, and she felt as if she wanted nothing more than to end her existence, permanently.

With un-adultered horror, she felt the creature beneath her halt rather quickly. As many countless times before, she felt her head bash against the bottom of the cage at the sudden stop, and this time, she could both smell and feel the sticky blood from a wound in her head spill around her. Pain seared its way through her skull, and only increased the gaping hole of self loathing in her chest.

She knew that whatever she had done wrong, she would have to pay for it. She wanted death over whatever it was she was experiencing now because she knew, it would only get worse. A brief feeling of injustice passed over her before she finally was over taken by the pain, and gave in to the waiting horrors that would soon befall her. And then she woke up.

_'Nightmares, like all other dreams, come from the mind of the dreamer and in some way refer to the dreamer's memories, problems, wishes, fears and in some cases, future.'_

Sakura grasped the edges of her blanket in sudden desperation, breathing heavily. She was sweating, pale as a ghost, and clammy to the touch. Her eyes darted around the dark room as if afraid, searching for unseen horrors. She was hot and the room was too stuffy for comfortable breathing.

Sakura stayed frozen where she was and shivered slightly despite her head pounding and heat rushing around in her veins. The pain of the wound she could have sworn she felt in her head had not vanished. She stayed still so she would not be taken away and punished for what she failed to do. Whatever it was.

A wave of stabbing pain erupted in her head, like something was pressing against her very brain, and she reached to the spot, thinking a blade had pierced her. Finding none, she put the cold side of the pillow to her face to wait out the pain. It intensified and she let out a shrill, muffled scream into the pillow.

Sakura was breathing deeply, and she thought she heard something faint. Something like hundreds of screams and cries echoed in her ear, bouncing around in her thumping head.

A picture began to play in her head of soiled, translucent, rags hanging off limp bony corpses. Sickened creatures, shallow vessels of once healthy bodies. Sores and open wounds littered what was left of their sickly yellowed skin.

Empty screams emitted from them, mouths agape and the screams pierced her as painfully as a kunai, this time, causing her chest to feel as if bursting. In sudden change though, something white came out of the darkness and the picture playing in her mind stilled as the white object reached the screaming bodies. The bodies went silent, mouths still agape before slowly dissipating into nothing.

It was eerily quiet. The white creature that had flown from the sky began to glow and then it became the silhouette of a bird. "You have not failed yet." It spoke with firmness, and an unearthly radiance. It sent chills down her spine.

And then the form of the bird faded too. _What was that all about?_ Sakura tried to steal her resolve and brush it off. When the same graceful, feminine voice answered her, a little amused.

"Your improbable future... Go into the forest, I need to speak with you."

That freaked Sakura out, and struck her with momentary fear. With resolution however, she whipped her cover off and went outside. The air was fresh, and almost bitingly cold. It felt far more inviting that the hellishly hot air inside the tent. She searched but she felt no unfamiliar chakra signatures. Deciding to take the risk on the off chance of clearing her head she grabbed her knee length boots and hooded cloak, then headed out into the darkness.

* * *

Yamatori was growing restless; the pink-haired child had still not summoned her. Perhaps she had lied to make the connection. What were mortals but selfish creatures anyhow? Yamatori had only agreed to make a connection with the Momo look-alike under that single condition. She wanted so desperately to roam the living world.

The pink-haired child was only half Ensuki, and it was purely out of Yamatori's good graces that she allowed the such an anomaly to take the honor of a bond with her. Yet she still had not summoned her after promising to do so as soon she got down the mountain. Five weeks had passed and nothing had changed.

Despite Yamatori's childish desire to throw a tantrum, she decided it wouldn't be beneficial, and settled for an intensive pout. She knew deep down by looking at the girl, she was directly related to her previous and favourite summoner, Momo. She would not lie, her heart and soul was pure. But annoyance surfaced none the less. Until a sudden bite of negative thought reached her thoughts.

Something must have happened, and idiotically, the girl had not summoned her when she needed aid. So now Yamatori could do nothing but await the girl after her ridiculous endeavors. Wait until the next full moon, when her power was strongest, and she would find the silly child herself.

Yamatori thought back to the last full moon, one of the her bonds had been broken with her summoner Tansor. He had been killed by the wolf-like man. She idly remembered the man questioning her, and had blurted out something like 'Tansor killed the pink haired child'. Perhaps that was why the child had not summoned her yet.

She was injured by Tansor and couldn't summon at the moment, most likely. Yamatori would have to find out herself to be sure, by paying an over due visit to the human realm. Luckily it was a full moon.

Yamatori could do many things on a full moon. She could summon herself to the living world on such nights, stay there until the dawn reached its peak. She could also visit her summoners' dreams using the strong bond they shared.

The girl had stupidly gotten herself into some type of trouble and now was the time Yamatori could find out what was going on. Always rescuing the humans. The demoness sighed softly. Yamatori's enormous feathered body raised itself from her snowy nest and she shook the fallen snow from her feathers.

She paused by the spiritual sword which she had collected from Tansor's snowy grave weeks ago, and turned away from it again. The girl was not ready for such a thing.

Drawing the power from the moon, Yamatori summoned herself to a location near Sakura. It was early morning, the crickets chirped and the native bugs flew up and down in a nuisance. It was still dark, and silver light covered the dew that began to form on the thick forest floor. Yamatori did not bother to alter her size. Her form crushed a number of trees yet she felt nothing more than a prickle.

Yamatori decided to pay Sakura's dream a visit, but what she found there was unexpected. From the sky in the imaginary world Yamatori peered down upon the grisly scene, and Sakura's cage being hauled to some sort of torture. A strange, demonic dragon of hideous appearance was what carried the pinkette's cage, and countless others as well. It was not an ordinary dream, however, nor was it a nightmare.

The Ensuki abilities became incredibly heightened on a full moon. This dream was woven with spiritual energy, chakra, and was taken place in a dark spiritual realm. The ghosts of the dead were showing her the future and not letting her go.

Emotions of the damned screaming from whoever they came. She had failed something in her future and for that the ghost were torturing her mentally and emotionally. Atrocious, and not to mention obnoxiously intruding creatures if you asked her. Yamatori narrowed her eyes in clear hatred.

These dreams were common for the higher stages of the Yukihana. They were frequent for Momo, and when she could not take them any longer, Momo would summon Yamatori to make them stop.

Yamatori dispelled Sakura's 'dream'. The dreams were a sign of the future but rarely came true and if they did, they would not be to the extent in which the dream portrayed.

They were _improbable futures _that the spirits liked to haunt necromancers with, those who fooled with dark magic deserved such fates. Or with spiritual mediums like strong Yukihana holders, those who did not procure any just deserts. How odd this girl would be a target for the damned parasites.

It seemed this girl was a true Ensuki, she had inherited the dying lineage's best traits. It was a blessing, though in far more ways than one, a curse also. Leaders before Momo had committed suicide early on due to the Yukihana's shocking spiritual power. The effect it had on their mental health was devastating, and led them to be unable to cope very well.

Clan members that held a lower level Yukihana that held no spiritual power, just the customary traits, had it far easier. Skills in water, wind and earth ninjutsu casted with the eyes also predicted an opponent's movement - similar to the Sharingan, though far less capable in taijutsu uses, and inferior in the Sharingan's complexity.

Sakura woke from her dream, but the connection with the spirits still lingered. Her tethering with them was exceptionally strong for her age if she could see, hear and feel them while being conscious.

Yamatori went into the spiritual world herself to disperse the irritating ghosts of the dead. She swooped down and their presence dissipated as her light hit them. She could communicate with Sakura here. If she was as intelligent as believed, the girl would obey.

* * *

Yamatori waited patiently in the early morning darkness. The earth beneath her was not snow as she was used to, but grass and dry dirt. The trees came up to her abdomen where the giant ones came up to about her chest, she was In her full size and could be spotted easily.

From the hoard of sleeping chakra signatures, a trained one came out and into the woods. She could see Sakura had seen her giant form against the inky sky, the full moon was bright enough to cast a glow on the land. She was unaware Sakura was blind, and that Sakura was really lead here by Yamatori's partially masked chakra.

Sakura broke through the tree foliage and into the clearing of broken trees Yamatori had crushed with her body. She stood frozen and then looked up at Yamatori without fear. What struck Yamatori as odd was how she moved, her hand was lingering by a tree branch as if she was expecting an earthquake. And how her eyes examined the form of the demoness' body but did not look at her eyes.

Eventually Sakura looked into her eyes, but they were unfocused, as if she was tired. Yamatori, despite the darkness noticed a still raw wound on her face. There was a slice mark on it. It had healed but anyone could see it would stay there for the remainder of her life.

Yamatori was about to mention the pink-haired girls' state absently and ask what had happened to her, when she spoke. "What do you want?" She said it harshly with narrowed eyes.

Yamatori was taken aback by her tone, this pink-haired _child_, a half-blood of the clan had spoken to her in such a manner was insulting. Yamatori had still not asked her name and didn't know how to address her. She rose her head higher in obvious offence and lowered her tone menacingly.

"Pitiful girl, I am the child of winter! The demon of snow whom protects the Ensuki clan. You have made a link with me under a condition, one that you have failed to fulfill, and you dare insult me with such tones?." Yamatori told her with unrestrained annoyance.

"Is that what that dream was about?" Sakura blurted out, this person or thing, whatever it was she was talking to was there in her dream, she recognized the voice. Yamatori sighed at the girl's lack of obvious contemplation, "No, no child. That was your supposable future."

"What!" Sakura said shocked with eyes wide. The dream she had, or nightmare rather, couldn't be her future. "No way!" She wasn't going to be tortured because of some injustice done to her.

"You're an Ensuki with the highest level Yukihana, young girl. A mutation of Yukihana which hasn't manifested for a number of years. Of course you're going to have spiritual powers, like previous clan heads who had the same strain of Yukihana." The bird lowered her voice a bit, rather impatient with the girls lack of understanding.

"Wait, wait, slow down! What the heck are you talking about?" Sakura said exasperated, she had no idea what on earth the thing was going on about. She had amnesia, this had to be someone she knew before, but how and _why _did this creature know so much about her? Had the letter been true? Was she really a part of the clan she had been read to about? These _Ensuki_? Who the hell were they? If they had to deal with such things as that dream last night... just how dark was her past?

To Sakura, the thing in front of her felt monstrous. The voice came from at least fifty feet above her head and the wind was completely muted. Not only that, but the light intensity dimmed when she went in front of it. It was not human, in obvious levels of its insanely powerful chakra.

Size alone gave that away however. It had even said it was the child of winter... Demon of the snow. It was a demon, like an animal then..? Like the creature the girls had said was supposed to be only _made up? Ohh_ she was _so _going to kill Eno and the others for that one!

It had said it protected the Ensuki clan. Sakura remembered the letter she disposed of when she first came to the travelling show again. It said something like what this demon was saying. _Yukihana, clan leader. _Her mother was named _Ume _and her grandmother _Momo,_ whom was the current leader of the clan it said in the letter.

So she did have a family! She wasn't a rogue-nin then? She had the boss level Yukihana that the letter said was dying out, no one had been born with it apart from Momo and that was around sixty years ago. Whatever the hell that would mean for her.

"Are you saying I'm the next heir, to this clan, the Ensuki?" Sakura asked truly curious. Yamatori chuckled this time. "Not exactly, it would mean you're the perfect candidate for it though." She said regally in her clear voice.

"Dear child, I should have asked you back at the mountain. What is your name?" Yamatori said to her, slightly irritated at having to ask. Sakura didn't know her name and she had been desperately hoping this demon would know. "They call me Fuyuko Ensuki." Sakura told her _what they called her _but not her _name_.

Yamatori found it odd that she had taken her mother's maiden name instead of the fathers. Wasn't that opposite of human customs? She also expected her first name to be something like Ichigo, some kind of pink or red fruit, like all of the other women of the clan.

"Now we've got that cleared up, I wish to know what has happened and why you have not met the condition, Fuyuko." she said pointedly, anger becoming apparent again. Sakura stared at her blankly. Instead of answering her question, Sakura wanted to find out the birds name. "Ano, may I ask your name?" She said politely.

Yamatori raised a brow to the girl. "It's Yamatori. Silly child did you forget so easily?" she said with a frown. Yamatori meant mountain bird, it was easy to remember seeing as how big she was and that fact she _was a bird._

Sakura shuffled around and looked to the forest floor. "Something happened and I got injured, I can't remember anything. I think it's amnesia, would you mind telling me what this condition was?" Sakura said while looking at the sky waiting for Yamatori's answer.

Yamatori looked past her into the dark with her beak slightly open. Ookami had said_Tansor killed her. _She knew what he was talking about now. Human affairs, Uhg! Who would take over the clan and become leader was most likely the trivial thing that started all of this. Tansor felt threatened by her presence and tried to kill her. It backfired, she was alive and he was dead although she had not gotten out unscathed.

Taking her back to the clan at this moment could have some complications. She sighed again.

She had amnesia and would not know friend from foe. The village she hailed from would begin to wonder where she had gone. The Ensuki's would refuse to give her back, as they would want her to become the leader. No, they would force her to become leader, even if she refused.

The village would get angry and there would be fights. And with the hidden villages, fights always turned into wars. More complications. Even if the village let her go, there would be clan members still loyal to Tansor. She would be in danger in her own clan, they would attempt to avenge his death with her head.

Still, Yamatori felt it was her duty to fill Sakura in on everything, take her back to the clan and have her instated as leader. It was her duty, but her mind or maybe her good nature told her this would not best for the young girl. She was weak, a clan jounin could kill her in less than a heartbeat.

Yamatori was her summon technically, so she shouldn't control her summoner's life. A petty, short human life at that. But Yamatori had never seen one so young and vulnerable, this girl was a chuunin at most. All of her summoners had been at least thirty years of age and high jounin before they made connections with her. And then they became Sannin level and Kage after a few years.

She could see Sakura had the potential, but she still needed someone to protect her and because of that Yamatori chose against telling her about her family. About the Ensuki and her place in it until she had become strong enough to survive on her own. Only then Yamatori would tell her and only _if_ she _asked_. She still had much to learn.

With that in mind, she veered away from the clan and went to explain her condition. "We have a connection, I only agreed under one condition that you keep. That you would let me roam the living world with you." She explained warmly to her.

Not only did she want to save her from being killed but she was being selfish. Yamatori wanted to roam the living world and it would be best if they travelled. She didn't want to be stuck at Matsu mountain.

Sakura placed her unfocused eyes on the giant bird. "You're already in it though, why would you need me to stay in the living world?" she asked quizzically. Yamatori sighed. "Those dreams you had, the connections with the ghost and dead souls, that will only happen on a full moon. The Ensuki and I are strongest on a full moon, certain things can be achieved which can't normally. Your chakra element will be stronger, as will your Yukihana. On a full moon, on a clear night, I am able to summon myself to the human realm but only until dawn." she told her uninterestedly with lowered lids, it was something she had recited before to others.

Sakura 'oh-ed', "So if I summon you, you can stay as long as you like, well until I summon you home." She said more to herself than Yamatori. _More passive shinobi knowledge_. Yamatori nodded.

"But I don't know how to summon." Sakura suddenly said. "Fuyuko, you know how to summon, you have already learned how, otherwise the connection between us would have failed. You have the summoning scroll! You are the sole guardian of it. If you can't figure out how to use it, find someone who can to teach you."

"Why can't you show me how Yamatori!" Sakura asked almost franticly. She wouldn't be able to find someone who knew how to use a summoning scroll in the travelling show, only another shinobi would be able to.

"The owner of the summoning scroll should always have it on them, Fuyuko," Yamatori chided "You have idiotically left it somewhere, anyone could take it, it's invaluable. Always keep it with you. I cannot show you because the sun will come up soon and it would take too long to reach it." She said this with surprising gentleness, almost feeling like a mother.

Sakura looked up to the sky again, she hadn't noticed the moon dimming and still couldn't. But if Yamatori was right then she had to get back to the camp before they saw she was missing. "Okay Yamatori, I'll summon you as soon as I figure out how."

The giant bird nodded, but to Sakura every time she nodded she thought the bird was ignoring her as she couldn't see it.

"Well I'll be off then." she mumbled as she felt the tree bark, her hand tracing each tree as she walked back to camp. Yamatori frowned at this before looking up at the sky, it was a reddish hue. She began to fade and as she did, she saw Sakura trip and tumble. There was something up with her, something she hadn't told her. An injury or maybe something as simple as blisters on her foot making her footing unstable, that didn't explain why her eyes where unfocused however.

Yamatori had seen the deep scar below her left eye down to her jaw, if she had a blade wound to her eyes then she would be blind, but she doubted the girl had hurt her eyes. Though it would explain her behavior.

If she was blind then that meant her eyes would be ruined, the Yukihana's spiritual power would awaken and torture her but her doujutsu would never manifest itself. The clans dying bloodline limit really would be dead. A frown set into her features further, that would cause problems. This girl was becoming a spring of problems lately. She would have to find out why Sakura was acting like that and whether or not the clan's dying traits had been ruined by Tansor.

With that last thought she left the human world.

Yamatori was brought back to the snowy land that she lived in. The constant blizzard rained down upon her constantly. It was comforting but it was irritating at the same time. She had lived here for hundreds of years with no one but herself for company. Summons had many others of their kind but she was a demon, the child of a God. The child of winter whom protected the lands, and she was utterly alone.

She was one of a kind, a wild card, there was only one of her. It was lonely and if the Ensuki died out, then no one could summon her. She would be stuck here for the rest of her life apart from on a full moon. Nurturing Sakura and keeping her alive would be beneficial, and it gave her a feeling of fulfillment. Something to live for, for a while.

Yamatori wasn't so shallow as to only look after her so the clan could live on, so she could visit the living world. But it gave her a reason to care for the tiny human. Being immortal meant she could have no offspring and Sakura was like the child she would never have.

As Yamatori ruffled her feathers and contemplated hibernating for a couple of weeks she noticed the sword she had taken from wolf-like man, Ookami. It was Tansor's sword, and before Tansor, it had been Momo's. And before her it had been another clan head's. No one knew who it belonged to before that. They believed it had just been passed down over the generations

In actual fact it had belonged to Yamatori's lover.

There was a spirit inside the sword, hundreds of years old. It was the spirit of a long dead samurai. His name was Raiku. It had been a few decades since she had seen him. Tansor never used the sword and summoned her at the same time, hence she could not see Raiku for a number of years.

The sword pulsated with life and lulled her to it in pleading, calling to her. The snow beneath it melted slightly from the warmth it gave out. She had given it away over a hundred years ago since Raiku had wished to see the living world like her.

She could let Raiku out of the sword, but she knew he wouldn't go back in. He would only cause her mischief.

Raiku was the first born son of her savior. The one who saved her from death on Matsu mountain. She could not remember his name, but he was a young boy, and even younger than Sakura. Yamatori had been chased by wolves, she was injured and the boy nursed her back to health.

That was when she made a pact with the Ensuki, the boy went down the mountain for many years. When he came up he had become a man and he named her ironically 'Yamatori'.

He also told her of his family. He summoned her to the base of Matsu mountain, where she met his many children. He had twelve children, his eldest was Raiku at sixteen. He was training to be a samurai at the time.

She didn't know how it happened but Raiku and her had fallen in love over time. He was the first she had ever shown her human form to. She used to visit him, every full moon, and they would spend the night in each other's arms, sharing kisses, and stories.

He was a samurai well known throughout the nations, highest paid and the strongest. It was the time when ninja clans were forming, he knew no jutsu unlike his other brothers and died very young when he came upon a ninja he couldn't defeat.

Yamatori went to him in her human-spirit form to try and save his soul, despite this still, he died. He had always been in love with her and sought her in his death as a spirit. He wandered the spirit world as a damned soul until he finally found her.

They lived together in the snowy land she called home for many years until he decided he wanted to see the living word again. Yamatori summoned him into his own blessed, samurai blade and then gave the sword to her summoner to fight with.

Now he sat not far from her locked inside the sword. She didn't want to let him out, as she needed him to aid Sakura now. He was pleading though and so she had to let him out, unable to resist the temptation. Going over to the sword she placed her head to it, it glowed and she stood back.

She herself glowed and her form turned into that of a beautiful woman with snow white hair, and black, glossy, eyes. Her human form was hard to hold in the living world but in her domain, it was second nature.

She watched with bated breath as Raiku's form came out of the sword. He wore his old samurai garbs, shoulder guards, chest plate of navy and gold, looking handsome as ever. His eyes were pale yellow and his hair was a dark shade of grey. Traits the current Ensuki had, pale eyes and silvery hair.

His hair was thick and jutted at different angle's he had it tied in a low ponytail. The hair band was wide so his thick hair could be tied. His ponytail stopped by his shoulder blade. He was handsome in his older years, experience, and kindness radiating his entire form. He reached for the sword on the floor and placed it in his black obi as he had done thousands of times before in his living years.

He looked up at the beautiful woman for the first time in nearly tens of years. "It's been a while..Yama-koi." He said with a crooked smile and shy eyes.

B/N: koi is short for 'my love' in honorifics X3

The breath was knocked out of him as the woman crushed him in a hug and buried her face in his chest. He stroked her hair and chuckled, leaning into her embrace and feeling her love envelop him completely.

She leaned back and rested her forehead against his, grasping his hands in her own. "How I have missed you, my love." He kissed her softly on the forehead, and she smiled, before raising a hand to his other hand and smacking it away from her rear.

Her eyes instantly narrowed at his perverse moves. He laughed nervously, a cute, crooked grin once again on his face. " Don't even try you old perv!" She bit out. He feigned mock hurt and placed a hand to his chest, " Mi'lady, you wound me! I would not have tried anything of questionable nature." She laughed at his rather terrible acting, and reached forward to kiss him.

"Hn, stick to the samurai honor-code love. Chivalry looks much better on you than a broken finger." She smiled mischievously, and he laughed heartily before kissing her back. She leaned into the kiss, and sighed. How she had missed him so.

* * *

A/N: I don't know if anyone has caught on to why I made Sakura blind with amnesia yet – yes, I know it's a tad cliché – okay very cliché – but it has its purposes :l

B/N: HI AGAIN GUYS :D Personally, I think the funnest part of this chapter was the last little bit with RaiYama, but I'ma big fat softie for OcXOc Love X3 But I have high hopes for Sakura now that Yamatori found her! I can't wait to actually find out why she's blind, Idk if I even know yet! :] Hope you guys enjoyed! Till next time! Luvs,

~Suri


	13. Yamatori's Return

**Disclaimer:** Naruto and its characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto, This fanfiction has been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

* * *

Chapter Twelve: Yamatori's Return

Sakura broke through the tree's and into a dirt clearance. She was in the private sector where there was the smell of ash and noise of slight chattering.

Thinking back to the forest, Sakura was sure normal ninja were not affiliated in any way with _demons. _If Sakura had to say the relationship between a demon and a ninja, she would say they were arch enemies. From her built in knowledge of the world, it was something she knew. Like the fact that demons were often contained in live human babies called... Jinchuuriki?

'_Jinchuuriki's, a person who has a Bijuu sealed inside their body. There are nine "tailed beasts" or Bijuu. These Bijuu are inhuman masses of chakra and their powers are described As "beyond human understanding and uncontrollable." Jinchuuriki will show exterior signs of their sealed demons such as fox whiskers for the Kyuubi container. They face extreme mental and emotional anguish and are often shunned by their own villages. If a Jinchuuriki ever has their Bijuu extracted from their body, they __will__ die.'_

The information hit her like a brick, how the hell did she know about jinchuuriki so well? And she was sure Yamatori wasn't that type of demon. If anything, Yamatori was friendly and didn't seem to be made of 'inhuman masses of chakra.'

She would have to think on it later, and start making sure she didn't leave her summoning scroll laying around unprotected. Dismissing her thoughts, Sakura looked around as she wandered near the centre of the private sector.

Early risers where scuttling around doing mundane jobs. What Sakura believed to be women by the sound of their voices, sat on the log by the bonfire. One of them was Chichi's wife, she appeared to be washing pots and pans in a tub from what Sakura could pick up from her heightened senses.

Chichi's wife called Sakura over, to which she did and sat down. The heavy smell of charred wood lingered in the air and no heat was given off. The bonfire was not lit at this time in the morning.

"Your up early for a change Fuyuko-chan." Chichi's wife said with a glint in her eye.

"Would you mind helping me and the gals, out here?" It wasn't a question but none the less Sakura nodded and started scrubbing on a pot alongside them. It was a group of older women, mothers to children her own age she guessed from their voices.

How old-fashioned it must have looked, women with all uncut long hair, in achromatic cotton dresses scrubbing away at pots and pans. With big bars of soap and ancient scrubbing brushes worn down from use.

Sakura got quite into the task at hand. She had to do her part here. They were a big family that depended on everyone taking part and Sakura didn't mind. Despite her earlier dejectedness of joining Rinata's show group, she decided it wouldn't be so bad.

So what if she was blind? She was just as good if not better than any other sighted person. And if she was going to stay here longer and help out with daily chores, she would much rather spend it doing shows with the people she had come to know as friends.

As Sakura moved to her next item, a grisly old pan with charred fat stuck to its middle, she guessed. The women started chattering away about Rinata and how beautiful she was like her mother. Chichi's wife wore a lot of make-up, she was caked with it and had full red, painted lips. She wasn't pretty but by no means could you call her ugly whereas Rinata had natural beauty.

Sakura didn't join in on their appraise as she had no idea what either of them looked like.

Sakura guessed Chichi's wife was more of an icon, the second in command. Sakura didn't even know her name after being here so long. She was referred to as 'good lookin'' and less formally 'gal' perhaps no one took the time to ask her name or maybe they were so familiar with each other, it didn't matter what they called her.

As they talked more and more about Rinata, Sakura got dragged in. They talked about her place within Rinata's group. Chichi's wife seemed to be a harsh woman who would give out fake smiles to customers and anyone she could benefit from Sakura imagined. But it seemed the woman had warmed up to her as she worked next her silently. If only slightly.

When told about, joinng the show girls Sakura had feigned innocence and the other women gasped and clasped their hands in delight at her 'fortune'. Sakura acted as though it was the best news she heard in her life, to which the Chichi's wife smiled like a Cheshire cat. The poor injured girl with nowhere to go would join her talented and beautiful daughter and friends as a show girl.

"Your welcome Fuyuko-chan!" She said appraisingly as if she had given her a reward. Sakura said thank you in this act in which Chichi's wife probably played her whole life. There again everyone's life was an act, wasn't it? If you want something, you act kind, if you start crying you get attention, they're all acts in order to get or achieve something. Sakura could tell she was the kind of person who feigned emotions like second nature, a true actor. Yet it felt off, a true actors feigned emotions should not be detectable.

Chichi's wife told Sakura about how her husband had seen them dancing and how amazing it had been, watching the five of them dodging in and out, past and behind each other in a flurry of fast paced movement. He had been going on about it for days Chichi's wife told her.

"There is the matter of you showing me,-" Chichi's wife faced her fully "- my husband puts people forward but it is _I_ who chooses." She said matter of factly "I would need to see how well you are able to match them, if I believe you are holding them back then you can not join." She said with a tilt of her head and a slight pout.

Sakura's eyebrows knitted together in her own worry. Sakura wasn't worried though, but she wouldn't lie, if she wasn't allowed because she wasn't good enough then she would be furious with herself as a ninja.

She was pathetic as it was, ridiculous bright pink hair and big lime eyes! Not to mention getting herself injured and in this mess to begin with. How long would she stay here? Forever like the other girls, going town to town? Would she find someone she once knew while travelling and would they take her back to her old life? Would she even want to go back?

So many questions erupted in her mind but there were no answers. She knew someone from her old life, Yamatori. But she couldn't ask her anything until she had summoned her. She needed someone who could teach her how.

As Sakura thought about her predicament she noted a chakra signature come close. Sakura thought nothing of it but the older women gasped and got to their feet.

"Shinta! Hello, how good it is to see you!"

"Why hello my dear!"

"Ah Shinta, how are you?"

"Shinta you're back so soon!"

Sickly sweet greetings came from the older women's lips to which Shinta nodded gruffly. He went past them as politely as possible, dismissing them and moving closer to Sakura. He stopped in front of her and she looked up from her seat on the log. Staring up at him with big green eyes and a blank face.

"What?" She blinked at him before bluntly stating. She could sense the shadow of his head falling on her blind yet light sensitive eyes.

His lips turned up in a half-contained smirk and she continued to stare blankly. It was a little unnerving. He touched the back of his head shyly and smiled properly to which he got no reaction out of her.

He laughed slightly to break the ice and Sakura frowned at him, tilting her head in puzzlement. The older women looked at the awkward scene. Chichi's wife was the first to break out of being an 'audience' and become an 'actor'.

"Oh, Shinta my dear, don't mind Fuyuko. She's blind and a tad ill-mannered." She said soothingly to the young man.

His eyebrows went up, "Oh... It's me who's ill-mannered, I'm Shinta." he added on quickly and extended his hand unconsciously to shake hers. He did it without realising that she couldn't see. Her eyes locked onto his hand and she shook it to his surprise.

He then remembered she was a ninja, from that time he found her dying by the river. He remembered healing her and was upset she was slashed across the face with a blade, he had tried to save her eyes but his limited medical jutsu had not been enough it seemed.

"Nice to meet you." She said with a nod of her head though her face remained impassive.

"You too" He said sincerely, almost as though he was eager to please her.

This was the girl who was on the edge of death mere weeks ago. She looked healthier, more filled out and had longer hair. It was a pleasing change, one induced by him. Shinta lingered by Sakura without a word and they all looked at him as if he was going to say something.

"I found you injured many weeks ago, I brought you here and healed you." He drawled out not sure how she would respond.

_'Healed me?' How did he heal me with such weak chakra, it seems to be trained slightly but it's obvious he is no ninja._

"How? How did you heal me?" She blurted out with a frown. Shinta was expecting something along the lines of 'thank you'. He laughed shyly.

"I know some healing jutsu, I work alongside various shinobi, you see. I even have my own summoning scroll." He said proudly.

Sakura smiled brightly suddenly. "Really! Could you show it to me?" she said with blazing green eyes and a sincere smile, half forgetting she wouldn't be able to see it literally. Chichi's wife made a sound in the back of her throat sounding like disapproval at her actions, but said nothing aloud. Shinta smirked at Sakura's excitement.

"Sure, if the lovely ladies don't mind me taking you away?" He looked to Chichi's wife.

They all murmured their condolences and Shinta flashed them a smile. Being the gentleman he was, he took Sakura by the hand and got her to her feet, to which she gave him an odd look. He walked with her and was about to reach for Sakura's hand to guide her but She snapped her hand away from his paw-like hands rudely and held her chin up resolutely.

"Thank you, but I'm perfectly capable of walking on my own."

"I apologize... I hadn't realised how much better ninja are with coping with blindness compared to us _simple folk._" It came out harder than he meant it too, it was meant to come out as a joke but he was too tired to put in the effort to please people today, the novelty of meeting her had somewhat melted away.

He was only trying to help, but he knew how prideful ninja could be, they never wanted help from non-ninja. He had thought it was a trait only carried by the shinobi but it seemed the kunoichi's were the same. He shoved his hands in his pockets, leading the way slightly annoyed.

He had a couple of dreams of what he thought she might be like. Powerful but gentle, beautiful and kind. She was the prettiest girl he had ever seen, her hair was pink like bubblegum but her personality seemed a little sharp.

He was slightly annoyed that he couldn't charm her with his rustic, messy hair and amber eyes. His looks were uncommon, just like hers. As a kid growing up in a mercenary army camp, young men had often made fun of him, pouring water over his head saying his hair was on 'fire'. Boys picked on him and he got in fights which usually ended up with him being black and blue, they would gang up on him. He could have ran, but he wasn't built for running, he was built for fighting, something he hadn't learnt to do when he was still little and getting into fights with the bigger boys.

This girl had probably had her own problems with her vibrant colourings too, considering she was a ninja. Pink was not good for obvious reasons. And no ninja would take her for a wife in case his children got pink hair, god forbid a son got her hair. Yet living as a ninja probably meant she would die before having children anyway. She could have a very different life out here, but would she even want it?

"Thanks for saving me." Sakura finally said as though she had forgotten to do so earlier.

He looked back at her with eyebrows knitted together. Perhaps she was not as prideful and arrogant as he thought. "It's no problem" he said softly. He was tired from the journey over here, and angered by a certain someone, but felt he should be more gentle with the pinkette. He had moments where his temper was so bad he could scare people away. He had a feeling if his temper flared around her, she would have none of it. She would leave or maybe beat him up or snap at him.

Thinking of his annoyances, the certain someone came to mind. Shinta had recently signed a contract with a Sannin known as Orochimaru. The Sannin provided them with a safe camp, food, water and money. In return they would be his army. A boy not even a man yet, named Sasuke had come to the camp recently as their leader, as one of the terms of agreement dictated. The boy was a few years younger than himself, he was an Uchiha, a very powerful foe. He was arrogant and rude and Shinta didn't like him.

The Uchiha was running the place while he was here, visiting the blind girl he had saved weeks ago – Fuyuko. That was her name if he remembered Chichi's wife correctly. He didn't want to leave Sasuke alone too long with his army, he didn't trust the boy. But he wanted to see this girl, she held promise like a raw diamond.

That was the only reason Shinta had come back to check on her. Gain, it was harsh but it was what made the world go round. She could help him, he wasn't sure how just yet but he would find out if she was of use.

She was pretty, Shinta liked her despite this sharp personalty he had just found out she had and the unnerving stare. But in time that would fade and when she looked at him, it would be replaced with warmth. To anyone else she would be a spitfire. He wanted to know someone like that, someone like he believed this Fuyuko to be.

He could feel just by how she spoke and acted that she was a fiercely loyal person. Not easily swayed or trusting but when you earned her trust, it would be there forever. It was a lot to gather but Shinta had met so many people entering his army that he could label almost all of them by a 'type'. There were the trouble makers, the prideful, the dim and so on, they all had a strong trait. It looked like Fuyuko held the loyalty trait, a rare one. Everyone held loyalty but not as a main characteristic.

They came to Chichi's tent, Shinta had dropped his stuff off earlier in the tent on one of the makeshift beds. He always had his summoning scroll strapped to his back and idly wondered where Sakura's was, the one she had with her when he found her. She should keep it on her person.

Shinta went over to the makeshift bed and shouldered his backpack containing shuriken, kunai and ryo. Sakura went to the corner and subtly placed her summoning scroll on her back. It was white with a green edging and a green silk, sash going from shoulder to hip. This was probably her room, seeing as her stuff was in it.

He had dumped his stuff on her bed out of habit. As this was were he had slept as a child when he had stayed with the travelling show for a few years. Whenever the travelling show moved to a different town they always put the tents in the exact same place, it was all routine, boring and dull. He hated it.

"C'mon Fuyuko I'll show you out in the field." He said brotherly. Sakura nodded mutely. "I see you have a scroll too" He drawled. You could audibly here Sakura gulp.

"Its' a summoning scroll like yours."

"You have one also? Why is it you want to see mine?" He said from in front of her. They travelled to the nearby field with Shinta in front, noisily stepping on branches and pushing apart shrubs for her to follow the sounds.

"...Ano, the thing is, I have this scroll but I don't know how to open it." Sakura said with a tinge of embarrassment. Shinta looked at Sakura looked at her from the corner of his eye. _Maybe she's stolen it._

"You've not signed it?"

"I've signed it, I just don't remember the hand signs. Chichi says I may have amnesia." Shinta's heart sunk at this news, it hit him like a rock in the stomach. How much worse could it get for her? "I'm sorry" he whispered resolutely to behind him.

"It's no problem, if I had a good life before all this happened, wouldn't I have been found already? In a way I'm lucky, even luckier that you healed me. Ami-chan said I would have died if it weren't for you saving me." Sakura told him with unseeing eyes trained on the floor.

Shinta thought of Ami for a moment, her dark brown hair and cornflower blue eyes. She had dyed it blondy-white to match his half-sister Rinata, her attitude towards him was different aswell. Not that he cared. He looked behind him to the girl a few years younger than himself, she could defend herself, she was an equal and hopefully he could take her away from this place unlike with Ami.

"The hand signs are easy, here I'll show you."

As Sakura walked into the field her face was bathed in the warmth of sunlight, and the calm breeze. Shinta came behind her, his arms by her waist and took her hands, putting them infront of her.

"You remember hand signs don't you?"

Sakura couldn't remember entirely but she didn't like how close he was. She moved away and nodded.

"U-um yes" She flicked her pink strands over her shoulder feigning confidence.

Shinta smirked at her subtle escape. "Good that'll save time."

_Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon. _The words came into her head accompanied by the hand symbols, then hundreds more swept past her minds eye. Hundreds of combinations creating different jutsu, primarily chakra control based ones. Sakura just stood there in wonderment at the new things she knew, it was like learning but without all the hard work. As though thinking about certain things could uncovered other things.

Shinta coughed. "Ready Fuyuko?"

Sakura nodded, her hands in the Ox position and her feet grounded.

"The hand positions are Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon but it seems you remember that... Start off by feeling the energy flowing through you, imagine drawing it to your hands as you go through the hand positions." Sakura nodded to this about to begin until Shinta spoke again. "Then bite your thumb and smear the blood over the scrolls writing."

Sakura seemed to think about this, putting her thumb in her mouth as if testing the skins hardness. She got back into position and went through the motions as if they were one, it happened so fast. Shinta could only see a blur as she went through the hand positions, bringing her thumb up to her mouth and then back down as her other hand bent round her body to retrieve the scroll. She threw it across the field, unfurling it's neat kanji and markings. Her thumb went down the crisp papers, followed by a smooth red line of blood.

Shinta could feel her chakra, it was uncontrolled, waves of it hit him irregularly. The sheer power of it made him back off. He was glad he had because the monster she had summoned was huge yet he couldn't see it clearly due to the smoke clouds. There was an aftershock of wind which caused him to fall backwards.

He had never felt such powerful raw chakra being thrown around carelessly. Most ninja knew how much to let loose for a jutsu. His summoning scroll was for horses, they weren't animal-nins like most summons. They were immortal horses which meant they didn't fight but were used for mounts.

Shinta could see Sakura's was affiliated with birds or a certain type of bird, and that she had called the boss. It was huge and he knew the biggest of the species would be the boss, just like his own warhorse.

Sakura sat in front of it, Shinta saw her get up and brush herself down. Sakura had the inkling she had used too much chakra and that she had done so in the past. Yet she felt she hadn't used quite as much as she previously had, she remember disjointed pictures of a field, dust and dirt being thrown back before feeling sick then blacking out.

Now she felt a little head ache coming but nothing more. She looked up at the huge creature she had felt the night before.

"Fuyuko!"

Shinta called as he ran towards her then slowed to a stop, she hadn't noticed him back off. "Wow." He said as he stood by her with a grin, looking up and hands on hips. The grin was wiped off his face a Yamatori drew back her wing and flapped them once. Shinta and Sakura were thrown back in the gust of wind while Yamatori lifted her black beak to the sky and squawked sharply.

Sakura did a back flip and landed shakily while Shinta broke the impact of his fall with his shoulder and arm. It had taken them both off guard. Shinta had a healthy respect for Sakura's summon after a simple swing of her wings and the bone chilling call.

Sakura's eyes were wide as she stared towards the huge snow-white bird. Shinta could see she was taken off guard too despite her near perfect landing.

"Fuyuuuko-sama" Yamatori called, unlike her earlier bird call it sounded soothing like chimes of a bell.

Sakura smiled at this, "Hello Yamatori" Yamatori didn't seem the type to so easily let her be her master. Yesterday it was like Yamatori felt she was an incapable child and today she was calling her with the suffix of sama.

"I'm pleased with you." Yamatori's size shrunk to a smaller yet still large size, around eight foot tall. "You managed to summon me quickly." The happiness in her bell-like voice was apparent as she came over towards the two humans she had earlier swept away in her enthusiasm. Yamatori could see Sakura clearly now, unlike last night. The almost undetectable faint line across her eyelids when she blinked and the shocking scar just below her eye reaching down to her jaw. Then the familiar green diamond on her chest.

She had seen it last night but when she looked at Sakura clearly it made her feel sorry for her, but she dismissed the pitiful thoughts. Yamatori's gaze swept over Shinta. "Who might this be?" She said suspiciously, looking to him then at Sakura and back again.

Sakura thought over it for a moment.

"He's the man who saved my life and brought me here." She said blankly.

"I'm Shinta, leader of the Fumetsu mercenary army." He nodded in acknowledgement towards Yamatori. If a bird could smirk he was sure Yamatori was smirking

"And I... am Yamatori, Goddess of Winter, dear boy."

"Soo..." Yamatori drawled, looking between the two. "You're the hero who saved my darling ward Fuyuko-sama" Yamatori chimed sweetly, the fact Sakura was her ward and she called her sama was odd yet that was the way it worked. When she was in Tansor's possession she had made him call her sama. Sakura's likeliness to Momo made her somewhat softer to the child and willing to treat her as her master in Momo's place unlike Tansor.

"I guess that makes you Fuyuko-sama's hero." Yamatori promted. It clicked in the two humans heads.

Sakura blushed scarlet while Shinta laughed nervously.

"I summoned you here to up hold my side of the bargain not to be my match maker." Sakura grumbled.

"Oh that's a wonderful idea! That's what you humans do isn't it, pair up for life? You'll be needing a strong mate. I'll be your personal decider." Yamatori declared much to the embarrassment of Sakura.

"I'm not looking for a husband." Sakura moaned.

"Don't worry, my dear. I'll be looking for you. You will be busy enough." Yamatori said more seriously, yet with a glint in her dark almond eyes.

"I will?"

"From now on you'll be training, I can't have a weak master can I?" Yamatori stuck her beak up, and stared at Sakura as though she were a disgrace. Not that Sakura could see in the first place but her heightened senses were telling her Yamatori's movements had changed.

Sakura did not protest to this, she wanted to be stronger and would not deny herself a sensei.

"But how? Fuyuko is entirely blind." Shinta spoke up with a quirk of his eyebrows. He knew himself Sakura could be useful seeing as she had a powerful summon to do her bidding, but actually fight? The idea was laughable.

"What?" Yamatori asked incredulously.

"I forgot to tell you, sorry." Sakura hadn't seen it as something she should have told her straight away. She could never forget she was blind but she could forget to tell people of the fact.

Yamatori's good mood seemed spoiled by this. "I see" She said curtly. _What will I do now? _The sole reason Yamatori wanted to train her was to make her strong enough to lead the Ensuki, to create order and return the clan to its former glory. Yamatori could have all the strength in the world but unless Sakura didn't have it, her people would turn against her. And Yamatori was under contract to protect the Ensuki, so she could be of no use against those trying to take Sakura's place.

"We'll work around it!" Sakura piped up, her eyes showing hope and a bit of begging toward her summon. Yamatori look down at her with a frown.

"How might we do that?" She asked knowing full well Sakura had no answer. The silence went on as the wind played with their hair and Yamatori's feathers. The great bird was turned away from them as if looking into the horizon. _I guess Raiku can stay in his human form for as long as he likes, Fuyuko-sama will have no need for a sword..._

"I'll train her."

Shinta declared. His rustic-colored bangs hiding his face in shadows as he looked down. He raised his head and smiled at Sakura. She gave him her usual blank stare unaware of his expression. Yamatori looked back at the humans.

"How?" She asked simply.

"Fuyuko is doing incredibly well for a blind person, I keep forgetting she is to be honest. She has excelled so far, so she can be trained. I'm sure of it."

"I can dance too. I've been practising with the show girls here. The moves are somewhat similar to taijustsu." Sakura added helpfully.

"Give me a moment. I'll think about it." Yamatori looked away again. She too hadn't noticed Sakura's blindness, she could certainly tell where people were, use jutsu and taijutsu. What difference to training did it make if she were blind apart from being at a severe disadvantage of course. It could be worked around, her other senses would have to make up for it.

"Okay! Shinta-kun, my dear boy, will you teach my darling ward swordmanship? I would do so myself but I'm afraid I have no hands, and being in human form is rather difficult for me to sustain. I will be training her other senses." Yamatori had seen the katana on Shinta's obi, _all mercenaries know how to handle a blade _she thought to herself.

"Sure that's fine. I can't stay here for too long though."

"Why?" Yamatori asked in an offended tone. Shinta just laughed nervously to the imposing figure which was glaring at him. "I have an army to look after and run, I can't just go about gallivanting around."

"How long have you got here?" She asked getting straight to the point.

"A few days. Then I'll be gone for a week or so. In that time Fuyuko will probably be wanted to earn her keep. My father said something about her joining my step sister in the shows. That will help her taijutsu and senses greatly." Shinta offered Yamatori, hoping she would accept this.

"Fine." Having Shinta teach her ward was just a bonus. Not to mention forging bonds with a mercenary leader could help Sakura in the future, Yamatori knew this. Bonds were powerful things and the more you had the stronger you were. You could be strong in physical power but if many groups of adequately powered people came at you then you were doomed.

Shinta and Sakura decided to start training straight away seeing as Shinta's time was limited. They went behind Chichi's tent where there was a row of trees planted in such a way that it made a foliage fence. She offered Yamatori to be dismissed seeing as people would notice such a large bird. Yamatori refused angrily.

She had told Sakura she wanted freedom to travel the world with her, and not to be dismissed ever as their agreement stated. She shrunk in size to that of a dove and watched the two begin their lessons.

What Yamatori saw was astounding she had never imaged her ward to have such skill in her blinded state. Sure it looked like a clumsy lesson between two non-ninjas, however, it was more than she had hoped for.

Yamatori also had the slight inkling Shinta was going easy on her lovely ward.

* * *

A/N: How long has it been... a year and three days since I started it and 10 months since the last update. So sorry.. No beta reader... I think Suri is getting married so I won't bug her, sure she's busy.

Inner Self has some good points I would like to address. Hate her name? Good. Kidding... Think of it as an alias to make sure Konoha doesn't realise it's her when stories start circling around the nation of a formidable ninja... I also want to convert it into her title seeing as it means something Japanese (forgotten what it means.) Creation rebirth, why hasn't it killed her? Dunno, I haven't watched Naruto since I was 13, I'm 15 now so I've kinda forgotten a lot of things. Not even sure what it does anymore... Totally need to read Naruto Wikipedia.

Hahaha, everyone has had such different idea's, fortunately she gets her eyesight back next chapter..or maybe I should prolong it...The reason why is... Okay I don't want to tell you, I'm sure you'll know why next chapter or you guessed from his one? No? Urgh, well I wont tell you yet. The amnesia thing annoys me but I want her to not freak out when she sees Itachi or Sasuke and so she doesn't know what sides she's on. I want her to meet her friends while on the opposite team without betraying them. Am I making sense? No? Okay -shuts up-

I am absolutely disgusted with this story. It needs a lot of work on previous chapters and even this chapter. I need to fix Itachi's OOC-ness ASAP and many other stupid things. My writing skills are horrendous and unfortunately for you guys they haven't gotten better since my absence. ^_^'


	14. Training Begins

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto, This fanfiction has been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

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Chapter Thirteen: Training begins

"SIR,YES SIR!" A group of young voices echoed.

Men marched up and down the encampment stirring up dry dirt in their wake. Women washed clothes and furs while chiding boisterous children. Small parties of archers, trackers and gatherers took to the surrounding rocky forests for small game and herbs.

Sasuke looked around the encampment of _his _army. It was pitiful in its current state. Women and children lived among the mercenaries, they had their own little families, and wanderer families who were taken in on the promise their sons would join the fighters.

Stood before him were the boys who would join and fight, young minds he could taint. Orochimaru had told his to befriend the older members but Sasuke was in no mood to feign friendships not to mention the mind of the old were set in their ways, the young could easily change. He would not listen to the snake, he would do it his way.

"Who is your master?" Sasuke asked them this time. He had been testing their loyalties this morning. The boys seemed confused on how to answer this, most questions were answered simple yes sir or no sir.

"Shinta Chitenshi-sama" They all said hesitantly.

"WRONG. Chitenshi-san is the highest watari-kashi (mercenary fighter), _I_ am your master. I decide whether you all live or die, and that means I control whether your Chitenshi-san lives or _dies_. I pay for your survival, the clothes on your back and the shoes on your feet. Do you understand?" This wasn't entirely true seeing as the Orochimaru was hiring them but the children went along with it. What did they know?

"SIR, YES SIR!"

"A thousand push-ups, now." Sasuke told them devoid of emotion. They had been training since they were tiny but could only do a few hundred, even the adults could not do that many. The children hesitated before Sasuke snapped at them.

"Only those who succeed will get a chance to join the ranks of the Fumetsu army. Those who fail will be sent away with their families."

Sasuke's blood red eyes scanned over them, taking note of the slackers. "No cheating, I'll know." He smirked slightly and let out a quiet yet bone chilling laugh as the slackers speed up to get on the same number of pushes as the others.

He didn't know when the leader Shinta Chitenshi, a man not much older than himself, would return. Only that the longer he was gone, the better. He needed time to turn their fears into loyalty and he had yet to even instil fear into the adults. That would have to wait until he knew exactly how long Shinta would be gone for.

He couldn't have the leader walking in on his display of fire and lighting, destruction and tests of the warriors, could he?

* * *

"Hahahaha!" The sweet laugher of Yamatori filled the air. Sakura was overpowering Shinta. Their blades were locked and despite his physical strength he was being pushed back. It was clear on his face that he was not holding back, he was using everything he had.

It was morning, the birds were singing along with Yamatori's chimes of laughter. The day wasn't necessarily warm but it was bright and sunny. The two were high spirited and giving it their all. A few fist fights had erupted as well when either Shinta or Sakura managed to get their swords away from each other.

Yamatori's delight towards her ward turned to shock. Sakura twisted her sword underneath his and sent his katana flying into the tree Yamatori was perched in. She squawked angrily but continued watching in wonderment to see what she would do next. She threw her sword in a downwards arc, just in the knick of time he rolled over and got a broken branch, she came down on him again. Fast enough to catch him but light enough so that she didn't cut him open. Because of the weak power behind it, the branch stopped the swing yet still made him fall backwards on to the floor. She almost rolled on top of him and secured him down but he put his foot on her stomach and threw her backwards as he rolled.

Sakura landed perfectly on her feet. Her green eyes blazing as if a jade fire had been lit in her orbs. She charged at him, ready to punch him. He got up in one quick movement but noticed something. Her fist. It had a calm green glow about it, but he knew there was nothing calm about her attack. That hand was filled with chakra.

Yamatori saw this too.

"FUYUKO-SAMA STOP!" She trilled.

This gave Sakura some hesitation but she couldn't stop now only slow down. Her hesitation gave Shinta time to move just as she came forward. Sakura toppled forward now Shinta had moved, she had been going at quite a high speed. There was a tree in front, which she would probably hit face first, not that she could see it yet somehow she knew it was there. Like all her other senses could tell her what her eyes could not. She could feel her energized fist, she had to let it loose. Deciding it would be better to hit the tree with her hand than her face she threw her punch at it.

Just an ordinary punch with her puny muscles, yet the after affect was disastrous. The tree splintered into millions of little fragments. Sakura brought her arms around her head and turned her back to the impact, crouching to minimise the damage. She could feel the sharp splinters digging into her skin. They had gone through the clothes on her back.

Sakura always wore her scroll now, as part of her attire. She couldn't just leave it around anymore. She was thankful for this since the scroll seemed to be resistant to attacks. It felt perfectly intact and the place where it resided on her back seemed to be clear of splinters. She couldn't say the same for the back of her arms, back and butt.

"Oww" Sakura moaned. "What the hell was that?"

"We don't know, you tell us." Yamatori stated as she flew next to her.

"I think I got a few splinters myself, damn they're in deep." Shinta pulled one out while grimacing. It was long and two thirds of it were coated in blood.

"It looked like you brought chakra to your fist to enhance the strength, albeit not very accurately." Yamatori told them. _If she channelled it properly she could probably crush a few boulders._

"I didn't realise I was doing it." Sakura said as she got up slowly "a-ah ouch." She bent back down into her former position.

"The splinter are pretty deep, I'll carry you."

"Where to? Can't you just take them out here?"

"It would be more effective if I could wash out the wounds then heal them." He said as though she should know wounds were meant to be sanitized before closing them up.

"Oh yeah" Sakura said rather lamely. _Puncture wounds may be prone to infection depending on the depth of penetration. The entry of puncture wound is left open to allow for bacteria or debris to be removed from inside. For simple puncture wounds, cleaning can be accomplished using a number of different solutions, including tap water, sterile saline solution, or an antiseptic solution, such as hydrogen peroxide. Experienced medical ninja can sanitize would by killing bacteria with highly concentrated chakra. _Information once again entered her head.

_Was I a doctor once or was I just a fighter who knew about healing jutsu, similar to Shinta? Was I good at it? _Sakura decided she would want Shinta to help her discover if she knew how to heal, not now but at some point in the future.

"Here, I'll take you to water tent." Shinta picked her up bridal style, her legs were fine but he could feel his right arm pushing in on some splinters.

"ARGH SHINTA!" She seethed not daring to move encase it inflict more pain to her person.

He laughed his shy or perhaps hesitant laugh. "Sorry."

"Coming Yama?" He asked the dove-like bird which he knew to be a monstrous sized summon. Yamatori bristled at the nickname which literally meant 'mountain'. It didn't quite have the grace that 'mountain bird' did.

"Such a distasteful name." She mumbled as she flew by them "The large blue tent with all the pipes, I presume?" Shinta nodded and the white bird flew towards it to wait on the roof.

It was the only tent that had running water, it would be a pain to install the pipes to every single private tent. It was used for showers, toilets, drinking water and washing water. The waste would go into a built in tank that had been installed numerous years ago. It was all very old fashioned but better than going outside to do your washing or to walk to a well to get drinking water.

Most places that were situated outside a town had these tanks or water hook up points which the travelling show had arranged for to make life easier.

Shinta took Sakura into the back section of the tent where the sinks and toilets were, he was about to go into the men's room when Sakura piped up. "I can't go in there!"

"Why?" Shinta asked blankly "Oh, sorry." He just stood there until he said "I can't go in the women's room though."

It all seemed rather silly really, the only divide between the two was paper thin boards. Yamatori flew in and went inside the women's room then stuck her head out again. "There's no one in here. What's the problem?"

Shinta signed not moving, as if debating.

"Just go! My backs killing me!" Sakura yelled after the muted silence and Shinta obeyed. "If any of the older women see me in here they'll kill me, do you know how old fashioned they are?"

"Well it's not like I've been living here weeks and weeks or anything." Sakura said thick with sarcasm, she knew how they were. No cutting hair, girls can't wear trousers or shorts, no relationships with outsiders, she had heard Eno, Yenyen, Ami and Rinata tell her. She was sure there was a lot more that she didn't care to abide by.

* * *

"Where could that pinkette be?" Eno drawled impatiently. The four girls wandered around in their normal attire of v-necked dresses and a white yukata shirts. They hadn't had much to do this morning and less people were visiting seeing as they had been at this spot for around a month.

"Maybe she's in the water tent" Yenyen offered. "C'mon lets go check, we haven't looked there yet" She said while walking backwards and looking at them all.

"Why would she be there?" Eno dead panned while checking her nails, arm and fingers outstretched before her in judgement.

"Oh I dunno, maybe to shower?" Yenyen retorted sarcastically.

"Then she'll turn up eventually, when she's done" Ami told the two "And it's not like we need to talk to her right now."

"But I want to see Fuyuko-chan." Yenyen pouted

"Yenyen wants to see Fuyuko-chan in the shower pahaha." Eno sang and snorted while laughing which made Yenyen flush scarlet. A slight blush came to Rinata's face in embarrassment.

"I didn't mean like t-!" Yenyen was cut off by Ami saying "Look!" and pointing

"W-what is it?" Rinata asked.

"I just saw a dove fly into the water tent."

The girls had seen various animals like tigers and elephants that lived in the wheeled cages but never a dove. The water tent was a little way down but close enough for them to be bothered to catch sight of their interest. They went into it, it was still quite early and only a few people were in there.

"I wonder where it could have gone." Ami said.

"Are you sure you didn't just imagine it?" Eno asked with one perfectly plucked eyebrow up.

"It couldn't have gotten out, it's probably at the back."

They went to the back were the single unit toilets were, most people used the larger rest-room which had lots of toilets and was more accessible, so it was pretty empty on this side.

The girls looked at the tent roof to see if the dove had perched there as they walked down the rectangular tent. Then they froze.

"AH UHHH STOP!"

They each stood still and looked at each other, it was Sakura's voice.

"It's Fuyuko-chan!" Eno whispered franticly.

"Shh" Ami hushed quietly.

"I-is she okay?" Rinata's barely inaudible voice sounded.

"What should we d-" Yenyen began but was cut off by Sakura in the woman's room.

"Ahh... OW SHINTA!" She moaned.

_Shinta? _The four girls simultaneously thought.

"Calm down, someone will hear you." Shinta soothed quieter than her but just as strained.

"It hurts!" She said angrily.

"It's because it's in so deep." He said, getting agitated himself.

"It's because you're not doing it right." Sakura moaned in pain while Shinta murmured something about having done it more times than she ever would.

"Look will you just slow down, no one's going to catch you in here with me." Sakura tried to calm him down. Shinta just grunted in response.

"I'll slow down if you stop wiggling so much." He had to be quick or else she would move and anyway, the quicker he did it the sooner she would be in less pain.

"AHH SHI-" Shinta had put his hand over Sakura's mouth to prevent her from screaming out again but she bit him."GET OFF!"

"LET ME GET IT OUT FIRST!" He growled back.

"HURRY UP!" She buzzed.

"I'll pull it out slowly this time" He said with a smirk.

"I hate you." She said jokingly but with a serious tone.

"Okay I'm done." Shinta declared.

"My God, it feels so raw."

The audience of four girls were beetroot red and stood still in shock. They discarded their earlier plans of finding the dove or friend and silently walked away as if they hadn't seen... or rather heard anything.

"C'mon, let's get you cleaned up... your back's all slimy, ew...lift up your shirt... a bit more..." Shinta said hesitantly and it was the last thing the girls heard of the conversation.

* * *

"Tsunade-sama..."

"Yes Shizune?

"Sakura still hasn't returned" Shizune looked at Tsunade-sama with furrowed brows. Tsuande frowned unhappily out the window, pausing in her paperwork.

"I know."

It had been two months and 1 day since they had seen her. Naruto had bound in happily yesterday asking if she was back yet.

"We'll give her a week." Tsunade said before starting to write again. She trusted her pupil would return unharmed within a week. Just as the thought had entered her head a konoha-nin entered the room via the window.

"Hokage-sama, an unknown ninja wishes to speak to you." The ninja told her suspiciously.

"What hidden village does he hail from?" She said while still writing.

"He belongs to no village, a clan on the border of Spring." Her head looked up, that was were Sakura had gone.

"Bring him here." She said sharply.

The ninja and the unknown ninja came back a few minutes later, through the door this time.

The unknown ninja, had long white hair and eyes almost silver looking. He had a strong jaw and piecing eyes that reminded Tsunade of a wolf. He bowed down before her.

"Please, you may rise." Tsunade said impatiently then looked to the Konoha nin and flickered her eyes to the door indicating he should leave. He left silently.

"Where do you come from and what is your name?"

"I'm from an old ninja clan that resides at the base of Matsu mountain on the borders of Spring country. My name is Ookami Ensuki, I have come with terrible news."

Tsunade knew that he was going to talk about Sakura but she didn't want to hear it. _Terrible? What could that be, where was she? _The man before her almost looked... sorry, yet what could make a total stranger to the leaf feel sorry.

"What. News." Tsunade bit out, her teeth clamped together and her fists balled, she would have to keep her cool and not start throwing desks to whatever news he had.

"A girl wearing your village's insignia entered our compound with one of our members. Apparently she had helped him walk there and had protected a painting of one of our ancestor. She wanted to sign the summoning scroll which was forbidden for outsiders. Our_ leader._.. Tansor, he would allow her to sign it if she defeated the strongest member of the clan, it happened to be the old man she had helped. She defeated him. Tansor had not thought this possible and quickly retracted the offer, saying only members of the clan could sign it. It turned out the old man was the girls grandfather. This meant the girl was the descendant of Momo, her grandmother and so she was the rightful heir. Tansor was not happy with this, when she had finished making the contract with the great summon, Tansor attacked her." _And I did too... "_It was a fierce battle and she was outnumbered, she was blinded and the fight was by the cliff side. It was unstable... she fell to her death." _We never found her body but it was probably taken by the river... _Ookami frowned and kept his eyes to the floor, he was ashamed he had helped in her death, blindly following Tansor.

It was better he not tell the Hokage his part in it, it would be best to say everyone who had helped in her death was dead too.

"BULLSHIT." Tsunade roared at him, slightly shaking.

"You walked into here with a LIMP? Tell me HOW did you get a LIMP?" Tsunade pointed at him, her eyes seething with rage. It would be best to tell the truth.

"I was attacked by an Akatsuki member who was in the area." He said it and looked her in the eye. Tsunade could tell her was being truthful, but he was hiding something from her. Sure Sakura could give him a permanent limp with her chakra fists but so could an Akatsuki.

"What are you hiding?" She said quietly but just as scary. Ookami stayed silent, the atmosphere in the room got heavier.

"WHAT are you HIDING?" she said again. Ookami's eye's seemed to water and tremble slightly. He knelt down again as though he wasn't worthy to be alive.

"I'm so sorry what happened to Sakura. She was our rightful heir. I was Tansor's second in command. I didn't know he planned on killing her, but it was too late to stop him from hurting her and then the cliff... It just crumbled and she fell."

Tsunade froze, the anger going through her was so heated yet it froze her to the spot as she looked down at the kneeling man. He had called her Sakura? He had learnt her name, he had felt remorse at her death yet it was his fault.

"What of the others?"

"Others?" He looked up.

"It couldn't have just been you and your leader whom _killed_ my pupil."

"The Akatsuki member killed them and Tansor, almost me as well."

_That's what should have happened _Tsunade though harshly_. _"What did the Akatsuki member look like?" Tsunade asked with narrowed eyes.

"I don't remember, he had a black coat with red clouds, dark hair... Oh. Red eyes. They were swirling, monstrous, blood-curdling eyes." Ookami recalled.

_Itachi. If he did one good thing for this village, this would be it. Kind of ironic that he would be killing off family murderers though. Maybe when he's done with that he'll be a good boy and top himself _Tsunade thought darkly. She was in no mood for nice thoughts, Sakura was dead and the only person alive with a hand in it was in front of her.

"You may leave now. Never return." Tsunade told him curtly with no emotion. He was lucky she wasn't strangling him with his own intestines right now.

He bowed and took his leave.

A while after he had left, Shizune dared look up to speak to her Shishou.

"Tsu-" She cut herself off, Tsunade was sobbing silently and motionless. Her face a picture of grief, grief kept inside her for years, guilt she couldn't shed. Her eyes were glazed over like glass and Shizune could see she was not here, she was somewhere else, in a different time, replaying over and over the death of her loved ones.

The skin on her hands and face, albeit taut and young, looked... old, as they were shaking and thin. They gripped her mouth forcefully to stop her from crying out for her student. Shizune didn't know if Tsunade could cope with this news.

She had sent the Ensuki ninja away, it was a months walk away. He would be walking for two months straight just to deliver the news and go back. She couldn't blame Tsunade for telling him to go without rest, she was quite surprised she hadn't ordered him to be hanged or something extravagant while in her infuriated mood. The fact that it was a months walk away meant Sakura had left this earth for a while already.

A tear pricked at Shizune's eye. She was finally beginning to take it in like Tsunade. Sakura was dead.


	15. Samurai Swords

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto, This fanfiction has been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

* * *

Chapter Fourteen: Samurai Swords

A nineteen year old Sakura looks up to the sky, a deep blood-red sky. And the sun is black, releasing a strange glow instead of normal light. There are black clouds swirling in the sky. The city behind her is full of agonizing screams and loud gunshots can continually be heard in the distance. But, Sakura is not in the city any more; she's in a field, running from the rain. A rain that is like pure acid. Acid that can kill mercilessly.

A little girl of no more than five years of age is with her. She has glossy black hair and strange glowing blue eyes. Sakura does not know her name nor has she ever seen her before now, but Sakura is trying to help her.

She is so small and innocent. They are, both of them, in this field that is occupied by a mass of dead bodies. There is only an occasional patch of dry brown dirt amid the slushy and mostly red mud; red from being saturated with blood. Dead bodies lay in heaping mounds and completely surround them. They're running endlessly over the decaying corpses. The little girl then trips and the force of the fall rips her hand away from Sakura. Her face hits the inside of an open corpse's chest cavity. Sakura wants to stop to help her, but the acid rain begins to shower them. There is nothing to be done but run now. Sakura turns and calls to her to keep moving. _Run! Crawl if you have to! Get out of the rain!_

But it's too late. As she finally manages to stand, and with a wave of tears streaming down her angel face, the acidic drizzle covers her unprotected body. Sakura knows she should run, but she can't. She's frozen. The girl lets out torturous screams of terror as her tiny body is instantly overwhelmed by the excruciating pain. Her screaming is so harrowing and terrible.

No one should ever have to suffer like that. Sakura watches in horror as the bubbling acid eats relentlessly through her soft young flesh, blood pouring down her arms like a red waterfall. Her skin has all but disappeared, leaving only vulnerable muscle exposed against the downpour. Her bare skull is visible, and yet she continues to shriek in torment. Sakura watches until her bones crumple and are finally gone all together. The black cloud approaches and she turn to flee.

Sakura's body aches as she runs... She can see a cave just ahead as well as a friend. A familiar face greets her at the cavern's entrance. He acts as though none of this bothered him. Maybe it didn't... He's smoking a cigarette.

Sakura goes inside the cave, but he stays behind. He will not die. She knows that, but she doesn't know why or how. The cave is dark and she seems to walk forever. Things too hideous to describe brush up against Sakura as she walks.

Finally she comes to a cavernous room. There is a huge fire in the center of the room with many odd psychedelic colors bouncing off its damp grungy walls. Many horrific demons dance around the blazing fire in dizzying circles, she knows them all by name.

The nineteen year old Sakura knows this is hell and that she has a place in it.

* * *

Sakura's heart was racing and her breathing shallow. Then suddenly she woke up screaming in the darkness. It was always so dark she remembered, all she ever saw was darkness. She checked her body over as if feeling for horns or fangs. She had a feeling she was a demon just like those she had seen in her nightmare... Thankfully there was nothing and it was just a nightmare.

Sakura's ear perked as she heard someone in the tent stir, probably to check on her. Her eyes were trained on the tent door flap. Her vision seemed grainy, like a black and white film.

She heard the person get closer, just outside the door. It was Chichi's chakra signature. Sakura let out a blood-curdling scream. It was a demon, she could see him with her eyes. Perfectly. The darkness was there causing her to see mostly blackness but she could see the whites of his eyes and his figure.

A chubby demon with stumpy horns. The demon with Chichi's chakra signature reeled back at the scream, and then he too gave a little yelp.

"Fuyuko-chan is that you?" He asked alarmed. It sounded like Chichi. Sakura looked at him with focused eyes now. _So this is Chichi, nothing like I thought..._

He was the same height as her and had a beer belly, his hair looked dark or maybe bronze. She couldn't tell in the dark. He had two bits of it sticking up, bed hair, which gave the impression of horns.

"Chichi... I can see."

"What? Really? Come outside."

He took her by the elbow gently as if guiding her like she were blind still, not that she needed a hand when she was blind anyway.

Outside it was brighter out, the moon was almost full, casting a glow. The night before it had been completely full Yamatori had said.

"Wow." She was seeing the camp for the first time albeit at night and it was so different from what she had envisioned in her head. The biggest tents were the rectangular, blue, water tent and then larger red and white animal and acrobatic show tent. The grass worn down to reveal a dirt path, tree's all around and it looked to Sakura like they were located on a hill. A hill which over looked the town below... It was beautiful.

"Fuyuko-chan." Chichi said to get her attention back, his heavy brows were furrowed.

"You look different... Your hair, it's white? And you're eyes... I don't know how to explain what it looks like."

"Huh?" Sakura asked in puzzlement. She didn't even know what she was supposed to look like, only that she really wanted to see herself.

She looked down, silver strands of hair fell infront of her vision. She touched them as if it were not her own. She didn't know why but Eno came to mind, but her hair wasn't platinum blonde, it was just beautiful natural blond and her long fringe fell over her eye. W_as that even what Eno looked like? _She wondered, it's not like she could have seen her before yet she was almost certain.. that face, that personality. They matched.

"Fuyuko..?"

She had drifted off again and Chichi looked worried.

"Maybe we should take a look at you in the morning?" He offered. Sakura really didn't want to, she wanted to see everything now, see herself too. If it weren't for her manners she would have refused, but it was late and Chichi most probably wanted to crawl back into bed.

"Okay."

* * *

Ami stretched while Yenyen yawned. Eno was twiddling with her hair just before running out to meet them.

"So, we're talking to Fuyuko _today_?" She said with a smile, the two other girls blush slightly.

"Yes we will be, not necessary about _that_ though."

"Awh, why not?" Eno asked giddily with a wink.

"About what?" Shinta's strong voice was carried by the wind and they turned towards him. He had been sleeping outside again. He had a fur on the floor and his horse was grazing by his bags next to it. It boggled them why he would do such a thing even when Chichi offered to make room for him in his tent.

Then they noticed a white dove, or what at first they thought was a dove. It's feathers were thicker and whiter. It's claws were ebony like its eyes. And its dark beak, a more muted, natural black colour. It was perched atop Shinta head.

It seemed to be gathering his rustic coloured hair in its claws then pulling to make a nest. He swept at it grumbling something yet the bird didn't fly off into the sky. It just flew to his fur by his bags and started pecking at things inside it for food.

Sakura could have had Yamatori in the tent but it wasn't ideal if Chichi's wife saw her. And then there was the fact she didn't want to be cooped up inside anyway, she was free now. Not to mention how fun it was annoying Shinta, he was relatively well tempered for a child (That's how Yamatori saw him anyway) and when he did get annoyed it was funny since he couldn't catch her. _The boy really needs to work on his speed._

A series of 'Errrr's' came from the girls. There was a bird nesting in his head then eating food out of his bags. The same bird that had flown into the water tent the day before, they guessed.

"That's Yamatori" Shinta said seeing as they seemed to just stand there and stare at Yamatori. The bird brought up her head from his bag with some bread.

"That's mine Yama." He frowned and chided but Yamatori just flew off with his bread. It was her breakfast now.

"Where's she going?" Ami asked.

"To see Fuyuko, no doubt, it's her bird." He nodded off in the direction she had gone. "I'm going that way now."

"So are we." Yenyen piped up. "Walk with us!" She smiled and Shinta shrugged and went with them.

"_Soo_... Shinta-_Kun" _Eno cooed seductively "a little birdie told me you like Fuyuko-chan." To be honest they followed a bird and had found out themselves.

"Yeah I like her" He said easily.

"No! Like, really like her." Yenyen said.

He laughed shyly and couldn't help but feel the three pairs of eyes on him. Especially Ami's, he was sure her eyes were fixed to the back of his head.

"No, why?" He said hesitantly.

Yenyen and Eno gawked at each other while Ami grunted in disgust.

"We heard you in the women's rest room with her, we even heard you ask her to lift her shirt." Ami spat at him venomously yet quietly. Her head was turned away and her arms folded.

A string of curse words entered his head. Sakura _was _being loud and now that he thought over the conversation, to anyone's else's ears it wouldn't sound like he was pulling splinters out.

"You've got it all wrong." He laughed it off, hoping it would help his case but they all sprung on him.

"Liar." Ami hissed

"Really, care to explain?" Eno said smugly.

"I'd like to hear this one." Yenyen laughed at him.

He rolled his eyes, and shoved his hands in his deep pockets. He was just glad Yamatori wasn't here to laugh and make fun of him later.

By the time they had reached Chichi's tent Shinta had ironed out the whole big misconception he guessed, as long as they believed him but he wasn't sure. Rinata and Sakura were already outside. It looked as though they were talking about something pretty important.

"What's up?" Shinta asked worriedly.

"F-fuyuko got her sight back, b-but... It's gone again." She stumbled on her words, she wasn't used to talking to her step brother.

"How does that happen?" Eno asked, unconvinced.

"Last night I had a horrible dream and screamed which woke Chichi, when He came in I could see him. I went outside and could see everything so clearly with the moon lighting up the place too! The only thing that was odd though... was that Chichi said I looked different, that my hair was white and my eyes looked funny." Sakura continued while Yamatori stopped listening on the tent roof and perched on her shoulder. "He said we would look at it this morning but I can't see anymore, and he said my hair and eyes are back to normal."

Rinata nodded to this enthusiastically, the family (save for Chichi's wife who was always out of the tent before anyone was awake and always last to return home) had been talking about it over breakfast.

The girls were about to take Sakura away when Shinta stopped them. He explained he was training swordsmanship to her and would be gone tomorrow. They argued they needed to practice since Chichi's wife would decide if Sakura could join them in the shows tomorrow, if not she would scrubbing pans to help out around the place.

"She doesn't need anymore practise, she can do it perfectly." He told them, they knew this to be true. The fact that Shinta wanted to spend time with someone in the encampment and teach them was odd, they gave in since he would be gone tomorrow anyway. If they took her he would no doubt leave for God knows how long, or never return.

"Fine but we're stealing her for lunch." Ami said while smiling at Sakura.

"Have _fun._" Eno smirked with Yenyen while Rinata waved.

"Fine, fine, I was going to go hunt some game anyw-" Yamatori squawked at him, she obviously didn't like his idea of hunting animals. "-I mean, buy some more bread." He sighed.

The other girls had started walking off now so he and Sakura set off to train. She was torn between training and being with them, she hadn't seen them at all yesterday. She also felt Ami had a connection with Shinta, one neither of them wanted to recognize, but it was there, it was tangible. She was just the new girl, the others had welcomed her in like she belonged and now she was ditching them. _No, no, I'm not ditching them I'll be seeing them all day everyday after this. I promise._

* * *

The two fought more professionally today. The grass was flat from where they'd repeatable stepped on it. They had been training flat out and it was apparent to both Shinta and Yamatori that Sakura was a fast learner. Yamatori could also see Shinta was skilled in the art of combat, not just mercenary leader skilled but on par to a high ranked jounin's taijutsu and power. He would be a advantageous friend to keep, an asset and that was what Sakura would need.

Friends were good, but ones with little power became problems, they would slow you down, make good hostages and sometimes die. It would be better for them if they stayed away in the long run. Yamatori didn't mind Sakura's friendships with the girls just as long as they didn't fall into Sakura's future troubles. Troubles Yamatori knew would face her eventually when she became stronger, she was the type of person to help others and her skills would be noticed. Attention was bad yet unavoidable.

She looked at Sakura, just an unknown fledgling, Yamatori could only teach her so much. She would have to go out and find ways to excel on her own. By the way the training was going it seemed it would be faster than Yamatori imagined that she had to go on her own. Sure Yamatori would be with her, but as a summon, not a teacher.

They fought until the show girls dragged Sakura away for lunch as promised. Yamatori should have gone with her master but the contract they made meant she was free, she could do as she please, it was only by her choice that she made Sakura her ward and master. She decided to stay with Shinta, if he was going to be Sakura's ally in the future (Yamatori had already decided this without the their agreements) she would need to see what kind of person he was.

"Yama, why are you following me?"

"So you're not a loner." She sang while doing acrobatics in the sky like an aeroplane.

"What do you care?" He asked with one eyebrow up.

"I don't really, I'm just making sure you don't kill anything."

"I have to eat too, ya know?" He said slightly annoyed that she had eaten his food this morning.

"Buy something." Yamatori, being immortal didn't really need food, she hadn't eaten anything in many years but when she did, she felt better.

"Why would I buy it when I can get it for free? I need my coins for other essential things that aren't free." He said resolutely, she wouldn't make him feel bad.

"Fine." She said curtly, she guessed food could get expensive if you ate it three times a day, every day. Still, what about the poor animals? She thought he should at least eat berries instead but didn't voice her thoughts. Humans had their own way of doing things.

They coursed through the rocky, moss and grass lands filled with trees silently, Yamatori's sharp eyes occasionally spotted animals but she didn't tell Shinta. If he wanted to kill them he would have to find them himself. Eventually Shinta stopped by a mossy tree.

"Hey Yama, you knew Fuyuko before her accident, right?

"Briefly" Yamatori said with her head cocked to one side.

"Just _who_ is she?" He asked with trepidation, he knew she was no normal ninja after reading the letter about her clan. But what kind of clan let their leader go missing and get in that state. And why hadn't she gone back to them yet?

"You do realise I've only known her for... I've known her for just as long as you have!" Yamatori laughed at this. "You've probably been around her more than me."

Shinta seemed shocked at this. "So you don't know anything about her?"

"Oh the contrary." She said while thinking "I know everything there is to know about her mothers family."

Shinta waited hoping she would tell him. He gave her a pleading look. Yamatori seemed to roll her eyes and then settles in a tree. She wanted him to know.

"I won't tell you everything, it would take far too long and some of it is just guesses. Fuyuko holds half the Ensuki blood, yet the blood she holds is very potent. Her mother and grandmother where the last main branch of the family with Momo being the last of the clan to wield the mutated bloodline. Unfortunately Momo has long since died and Fuyuko's mother disbanded from the clan decades ago. The main branch's lineage disappeared which meant the mutated bloodline ended too."

"Since then the clan has declined. When the leader, _Tansor, _found out she was a descendant of the main branch he tried to kill her fearing he would be replaced. Tansor threw her off a cliff or something, I don't know the details. Fortunately a missing nin was in the area and happened to kill him. We don't know why but he did."

"I found Fuyuko just after that Tansor guy had tried to kill her then... I'm glad a missing nin caught him, he deserved it... the state I found her in was disgusting."

"Yes, and it's not safe for her to go back there, not yet. People are still loyal to Tansor and then there's the issue of her mixed blood, her father wasn't an Ensuki so I don't know how she even got the name Fuyuko 'Ensuki' unless she took her mothers name which I doubt. That woman hated the clan."

"Does Fuyuko know this?" Even if she did she had suffered from amnesia so he doubted it.

"No, and you won't be telling her either." Yamatori said almost nervously."It's not safe for her to go back there, I'll tell her when she's stronger and only if she asks."

"So all you're doing is training her up for the inevitable time when she has to face her crazy clan and be their head?" Shinta asked, somewhat irritated about the notion and angry and Yamatori.

"I'm training her to become strong so she can do as she pleases. So she can be free. I won't tell her about her family and neither will you" Yamatori said again harshly as if warning him.

He wouldn't tell her. He didn't want her to go and join the crazy clan that almost killed her.

Sakura, Ami, Eno, Yenyen and Rinata had finished lunch and were parting way when Ami asked her about Yamatori.

"Yeah, when did you get a bird?" Yenyen asked baffled like the other girls. Sakura just laughed nervously.

"D'you remember telling me about a demon bird that resides on Matsu mountain and how it wasn't real?" Sakura said with a smirk. They all nodded entranced in what she would say.

"Yamatori _is_ that demon, watch yourself around her. She might eat you." Sakura said with the same face she had worn when entering this traveling show. A face devoid of emotion, pale and icy. Eno and Yenyen squealed while Ami rolled her eyes and Rinata just looked frightened. Sakura said she would get them back for that one.

Yamatori wouldn't harm a fly but she didn't see the harm in messing with them like they had with her and the demon bird that apparently ate travellers who ventured near the mountain. The show girls probably believed her, they could see Yamatori was no ordinary bird.

She met back up with Shinta and Yamatori. Yamatori sent her a soothing sounding 'Hello' whereas Shinta said nothing and his face was somber. They immediately got into training and Shinta seemed to be going all out. He wanted her to do better, to make her better. There were people out there who could skill horrifically mutilate her. The image of her cold lifeless skin and blood matted hair clung to her porcelain and mangled face arose in his mind and caused his stomach to lurch.

Yet he knew her potential was far stronger than he could dare imagine, and he could not help her gain that strength. This was the best he could do but he would do it as best he could.

The air turned chilly and the afternoon turned to evening without him noticing. They were both breathing hard. He couldn't remember when they had stopped for a break only that they had been in this round for hours.

Yamatori was still perched in her tree, watching every movement. They were getting better, faster, both of them. They were in tune with each other but what help would that do in a real fight? She needed someone else now, someone she hadn't figured out. She knew Shinta's style like the back of her hand and then it occurred to Yamatori, she was blind. She was blind and everything she had done had been down on hearing alone. It was unbelievable to think it was possible for this level of precision from a blind ninja.

"Fuyuko-sama" Yamatori trilled. The fight between the two continued a little longer before they jumped away from each other signalling they would not try an attack. Both were breathing hard, staring into each others eyes or rather Shinta was into hers, looking for a reaction. It seemed when she fought there was none. She gave nothing away. It could just be a side effect to becoming blind though. There was nothing to change expressions about you just had to focus on sounds, concentrate, and hope you countered the blade.

"Yes Yama?" Sakura asked as if in a far away place. Yamatori grumbled at the horrific nickname. It seemed Sakura had picked it up off Shinta she thought irritatedly.

"Your not doing too badly, I guess." She played down Sakura's achievements, it wouldn't be good to give her a big head.

"Dismiss me and summon me in a couple minutes, would you? I have a surprise."

Sakura did so and when she did, she was quite shocked to say the least. She didn't know how but she could feel Yamatori felt differen't, nothing like a summon but a human. A beautiful woman in her early thirties stood where she had summoned Yamatori. She had snow white hair and round black eyes framed with black lashes. In her hand was a simple yet elegant katana.

"Yamatori?" Sakura asked incredulously.

"Yes Fuyuko-sama?" She answered in her bell-like voice, a smirk playing on her lips. Sakura just shook her head in disbelief, she had heard Yamatori say she could do it. But saying and doing were two very different things.

"You're in your human form, aren't you? It just took me by surprise."

"Yes, however like I have said before, I can't hold it for very long." She explained "this sword is imbued with the soul of a powerful samurai named Raiku. Fuyuko, I'll place him in your care to you if you can unlock your bloodline."

Shinta listened intently and blurted his thoughts. "Samurai generally have two swords don't they? The pairing of a katana and short sword is called the daishō which represents social power and personal honor... What of Raiku's other sword?" Shinta asked, he knew of samurai yet had never met a true one. Only Bushido and ronin, the masterless and shunned samurai. He himself carried two swords like he had seen the ronin in his army do. He respected them greatly.

Yamatori smiled at this. She was wearing a long white dress-robe with a obi around her middle. She turned to the side to reveal a blade identical to 'Raiku' yet smaller. It was a wakizashi.

"It's called Yamazashi." She said with a smirk, "Raiku is imbued to his katana and I am imbued to his wakizashi. We're a pair."

_So she carries it on herself so that she can infuse her soul into it when her master needs it _Shinta figured out. Swords with souls were always more powerful, they held the strength of the soul within in.

"I only thought about imbuing myself to it recently when Raiku asked were it was." She laughed to herself and her ingeniousness.

"I can have Raiku, if I unlock my bloodline?" Sakura asked excitedly. She had gotten used to the prospect of using swords despite feeling stronger with just her fists. Maybe a stronger sword would make her feel just as capable without her hands free.

"Yes. However, it must manifest in the same way as Momo's."

_Momo? She was in the letter that Ami read to me, my grandmother and leader of Ensuki... _

"What did Momo's manifest into?"

"Momo naturally had honey brown eyes, when an Ensuki activates their blood line they go entirely white, for Momo and leaders before her, it was different. White flower petals frame the black pupil, it looks like a Yukihana flower from which the doujutsu was named. You can still see your natural colour between the spacings of the petals. It is on a greater level than the average Yukihana."

"That night you told me no one had been born with it for over 60 years." Sakura said with an aghast look. "You're just gambling that I will have it."

"No, I know." She said seriously and as though she pitied her. "I told you your nightmares are an indication of a heightened spiritual power and hence the mutated Yukihana. You will suffer with them until the day you die, some will be fine and others will be unbearable. And each one of them will have a chance to come true." Yamatori told her with a ghostly and cold expression. "I have the ability to enter your dreams, I saw the one you had last night, it was horrid but thankfully short, I have a feeling the Yukihana wants to emerge but you're not being pushed hard enough." With her words spoken Yamatori lifted the sword named 'Raiku' and touched it to her forehead. It began to glow with a faint yellow glow which reminded Sakura of lightening.

A man, a samurai, who looked older yet just as pleasing to the eye as the female immortal next to him emerged from the sword.

_Raiku._

He had on his navy shoulder guards and chest plate with gold trim. Raiku must have been the guard of a federal lord when he was alive by the looks of his exquisite armor. His eyes were a pale, lightning yellow like the glow the sword had given off and his thick pony-tailed hair was gray.

The sword, now a dull and lifeless, steel katana, was picked up tenderly by it's master.

He studied his sword before holding it by his side gently and then gazing to the distance.

"How I have missed _this_..." The immortal samurai spirit's eyes seemed unfocused as he looked at the world he had left behind centuries ago. They fell to his big hands which he had lifted up and started grasping them as if testing how they worked.

Everyone was silent as the spirit, Raiku, got used to being in the world. He didn't look like a spirit, he looked real, like Yamatori. Shinta seemed to be the one in most admiration. He had always respected the way samurai lived, even respected ronin. Words could not describe what he felt now, as the samurai who had lived in a time when their class thrived, breathed air into his lungs and looked at the world around him in blissfulness.

Lastly his eyes took focus and he looked towards Sakura.

"My daughter, I have heard so much about you." He said with his awry smile.

Sakura seemed to still at this while Yamatori giggled. _Who is he talking to? Surely not me? Has someone finally come for me, to bring me home?_

"Oh Rai, don't be daft." She said with a smile on her own lips. "Rai is a second generation Ensuki, one of your ancestors, nevertheless he was born long before the clan became ninjas or even acquired a bloodline." She explained to Sakura.

The Ensuki bloodline they knew today had come from a pale skinned, eyed and haired woman with an ethereal presence. She had married into the family long ago, Yamatori idly remembered this in her head. She was the only member in the clans history to be painted. To be remembered in the form of a picture, but today no one, apart from a few Ensuki knew who she was. Yamatori wondered where the painting was now, had they recovered it from when it had been stolen years ago?

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Sakura was bent over in a ninety degree fashion. Her long hair spilled over her shoulders and hiding her watering eyes. The blood between them may be as thin as water after the many generations but all Sakura saw before her was family. She had to have some, some which would find her. It may have come in the form of an old samurai spirit but at least he had came.

"It is my honor, my child." Raiku said in earnest. For all he cared he had adopted her the moment Yamatori had told him about her new master whom she had taken as a ward. Raiku could see now why Yamatori talked so fondly of her. Yet he felt the girl didn't know how much Yamatori cared for her. _As though she were her own child, that's how much. Just like it was with Momo... their looks are uncanny._

"Darling, will you spar with Fuyuko-sama?" Yamatori chimed sweetly.

"Why of course, my sweet." He said huskily with a grin making her giggle.

"What's wrong with me?" Shinta asked shocked and a little angry, he hadn't meant it to come out sounding that way, but it had.

"Fuyuko-sama had already learned to counter act your every move." She said soothingly sensing his irritation at being replaced.

This was true, Fuyuko was matching him perfectly, they were at a stalemate. _Is this all I can do for her? _He felt disgusted that she had matched his swordsmanship in no more than two days, something which he had learned over a life time of fighting. There were things he could do better than her like ride a horse or hunt animals but she could learn that from anyone and in a few hours.

He guessed in the future he wouldn't have much over her, but there would be one thing and it was unmeasurable. She owed her life to him. Just as long as she remembered that, remembered _him _and what he had done for her, then he could suck it up and smile and be OK with it.

"Yeah, your right." He smiled and laughed, his hand falling to the back of his head in a casual motion. "I guess I'll be going then..." He flashed them all a quick smile and turned to leave just after Raiku gave him a nod and he nodded back. He had a high respect for men who followed that kind of life.

"Thank you Shinta-kun!" Yamatori called out to him. He had left rather quickly. It occurred to her that maybe she should have been more subtle with him not being enough to challenge Sakura.

Shinta thought he would hear Sakura call out too, a quick 'good-bye' before he left but she didn't and he was disappointed. If he hadn't left so fast she could of but there again why didn't she call out.

Quiet footsteps sounded behind him, Sakura caught up to him with a gently run.

"Shinta." She whispered and he stopped however, did not turning to face her.

"Fuyuko." He acknowledged when she didn't say anything more.

"Are you coming back?" She asked hesitantly.

"...I don't know." What was the point, the only reason why he might of would be to help her with swordsmanship and that would be a week away anyway. Seeing as they were at a deadlock meant there was no point, she could only surpass him now.

"Will you, please?" She suddenly said. He didn't answer for a long time but when he did it was curt and harsh.

"Why?" He asked, trying to quench the anger that was bubbling up. He wanted to but for what? He waited for her answer expectantly. He hoped she had one. An excuse for him to come back.

"For me." She said with a level, calmed voice. He thought about it, was that an excuse to come back here? _Is it?_

"OK" He found himself saying gently, the anger gone. He called it anger but he knew it was the anticipation of loss. To lose someone. To lose a friend.

* * *

A/N: Quick question: What chakra element affinity do you think Sakura will have?

I've already decided, it won't be snow (water and wind) or something made up but the one element that I find fits her personality.


	16. The Light Emerges from the Darkness

**Disclaimer:** Naruto and its characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto, This fanfiction has been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

* * *

A/N: Will proof read tommorow.

Chapter Fifteen: The Light Emerges from the Darkness

Tsunade was not better. She didn't feel like she could go on as normal. Like her promising student had never existed in the first place or like she had never died. She wanted to forget but she couldn't yet and at the same time she didn't _want_ to. How could she forget Sakura? The girl who had come to her so she could be useful. So she wasn't weak. And Tsunade had given her that opportunity to be useful and stronger, because she reminded her so much of herself.

Where was that bright girl? How could she let her die? _Why did I let her go?_

When Tsunade thought about it, she knew it was her fault. She had let her go despite the dangers. But why had she done that? Because she knew Sakura could handle it... Had she been wrong? No, she couldn't have, there was no doubt in Tsunade's mine that she would not return. She was a smart girl. If Tsunade thought otherwise, even had a slight doubt then she would never have let her go. But she had.

Sakura was alive, there was no denying that. She had to be. How could she trust an unknown ninja's word? _There was truth in his eyes..._ Tsunade shook her head, ninja could be trained to kill their emotion but they could also be trained to feign emotions. He had to be lying. For all she knew, they had taken her hostage. Sakura was no baby anymore, she was a great asset. Her medical skill preceded even Tsunade's. _Sakura had beaten even my medical knowledge, all she lacked was experience..._ _And anyway, being my apprentice would be enough for someone to take her._

Then there was the issue Tsunade had picked up. The wolf-like ninja had said Sakura was the rightful leader of their clan which was what got her targeted. _What kind of bullshit was that? _Sakura was a Konoha ninja like her family before her, and her mother had just been a civilian.

"Shizune, I don't want anyone to know about this yet. If Naruto asks tell him her mission has been prolonged."

They had learned of Sakura's demise yesterday but Shizune new what Tsunade was talking about, it was still fresh in their minds like an open wound.

"I want a group of ANBU here now."

Shizune sent her a look of surprise. _What would they be for?_ She asked no questions, Tsunade was still in a grieving state but her composure was better. She could pretend everything was okay and save face. But Shizune could see past that, she was breaking inside. That would be how Naruto and her friends would be feeling if they knew. She guessed Tsunade would try her last bit of hope on Sakura's return, she wouldn't inflict any unnecessary pain on Naruto until she knew .

The ANBU arrived promptly sporting their various feral masks. This particular group was uncaring, cut throat killers. Just what Tsunade would need. Not to kill anyone, but the personality that came with these types of people would be what she would need. A dark aura to instill fear of what _could_ happen.

Tsunade brought out a map and a marker pen, she crossed and 'X' by the border of Spring country.

"Your mission is here." She pointed to the 'X' without looking at it but at them, through the slits of their masks, showing them she was very angry and very serious about something."You will go to the base of this mountain. There is a ninja clan there, known as the Ensuki, be wary. We know nothing of them, only that a ninja of ours went missing there. My apprentice Sakura Haruno."

The ANBU stood just as still as they had when entering, devoid of emotion, but it was obvious of their surprise. What village-less ninja clan would mess with the Hokage's apprentice? It would have to be a powerful or just plain idiotic one.

"Don't come back until you find her. If you find her corpse then they have committed an act of war. I have just recently heard a witness report that one of _their _members attacked her."

* * *

Sakura waited until she could no longer feel Shinta's chakra. She imagined his shadowed form retreating silhouetted against the inky evening shroud. Collecting his bags and furs, packing them on either side of his warhorse and then riding away without a glance back. He didn't like it here.

_Could it really be because he found it boring? Had something else happened to him here? Or was he just keen to get back to his army, his people, his family..._

Sakura wondered who her family were, it seemed the Ensuki didn't notice her absence and she had no way of knowing how to find them. Not that she wanted to, they didn't care about her, they had left her to die at the bottom of a cliff. She could ask Yamatori but she had a feeling the summon knew nothing about her previous life. She had told her, her name was Fuyuko Ensuki, a name made up by the showgirls and the bird did not correct her. So even Yamatori didn't know who she really was then.

Sakura wandered back to Raiku and Yamatori while thinking. What did it matter anyway, she had family, Raiku her ancestor and Yamatori her guardian.

Yamatori's mouth was thin and she stood leaning against a tree. She had pulled her pristine white hair into an up-do with loose plaits at the back and stray strands of hair to frame her face. She really did look like a Goddess of Winter dressed in white, the only break in colour being her black eyes and the slender wakizashi.

Sakura could sense Raiku was waiting, ready to face her in the middle of the grass where she and Shinta had trampled flat previously. She had to step it up. Raiku was a master swordsman from a time when everyone used swords to fight, he would have plenty experience. The only advantage Sakura had was her chakra. How could she use that in a sword match? Speed, she could direct it to her legs to move faster. If she could do that she could do the same to her arms, to swing faster, it would ultimately have more power too.

She remembered how she had brought chakra to her fist, that hadn't ended well, but at least she knew what to expect now. She might as well try it on an immortal, it's not like she could kill him.

Raiku bowed before her, his hand together in a way that meant a spar and not a duel to the death. Sakura sensed his bow and bowed too with her sword standing upright between her palms. Within a millisecond the fight had started. Raiku zigzagged across the space between them with blinding speed. Sakura couldn't correctly locate him until he was upon her. She jumped back into the air and Raiku jumped higher and faster. He came down with his sword. With no where to go in mid air, Sakura managed to bring her sword infront of her just in time. The extra weight of Raiku on top sent her falling backwards faster.

Sakura landed on her back heavily with the air being knocked out of her. Her back curved in pain and she choked out a cough. Her arms hurt as Raiku brought his blade closer to her face. Slowly but surely he was pushing her own sword back. Her own sword was centimetre's from her face when she sought out for her chakra. A surge of it swept from her middle towards her aching arms.

Raiku was thrown back with her burst of strength giving her time to roll and stand up in one movement. Just as she was getting up Raiku was already swinging his sword skilfully. Deflecting her attacks with little effort. Sakura concentrated her chakra, she needed faster, more fluid movements.

The speed of the match increased drastically, with Raiku meeting her speed eloquently. It was no use, the faster she moved the more chakra and energy she used up. It didn't even look like Raiku was trying yet.

"You're hesitating."

She was was concentrating so strongly on his little sounds and movements the words totally caught her off guards and his blade skimmed her arm. Just barely did she dodge it. What did he mean she was hesitating? As far as she was concerned she was just trying to get away from the snaking sword and throwing off attacks when she could.

Her attacks where unfocused and expectant to hit but never did. She was trying to hit him. Whereas he attacked her but only when she could combat it.

"You fear you will harm me."

Harm him? She didn't fear it, she was trying to land a hit on him for goodness sake._ But do you want to? _Of course she didn't but what difference did it make...

"Listen to you body, ignore you mind."

Sakura couldn't see what Raiku was getting at. You needed to use your mind to tell your body what to do. The body didn't decide. Sakura was a person who only listened to her head, whether her body benefited from it or not. How could you ignore your mind, only animals could do that. Fight without thinking, throwing their whole body into the fight and ignoring the consequences.

It was something mothers did. They would enter a fight against a threat with the purpose to kill and the intent to die for their babies. It was called instinct. Fight with the intention to kill or be killed, don't fear the consequences, ignore your minds protests.

She would try it. Ignore the conseqence.

Sakura's mind seemed to go numb, there was nothing to think about. Her body moved on impulse, it dodged correctly then moving onto the next movement as if it were just one one fluid motion. A dance of sorts. She fell into tune with Raiku, gracefully matching each others moves.

She felt a thrill go through her body, her speed increased at a constant rate, as did Raiku to contend with his rival. Sakura could feel his breathing grow heavier, but not as heavy as hers as the blood pumped through her veins like fire.

Suddenly her chakra seemed to flow so easily to different parts of her body increasing their efficiency. It was like a clog in a pipe, some water could pass but not much. When the water was forced down, pushed to hard, the pipe became unclogged and a greater quantity of speeding, thrashing water was free to pass.

Raiku was still dodging her albeit with a little difficult, the only problem was he couldn't manage to attack. She was going all at, pushing him back. This couldn't do, he was here to propel her.

Suddenly Raiku's dull blade lit up with pale yellow energy. She could feel what type of energy it was.

_Lightning._

_How is that possible? Raiku has a dormant chakra coil._

The lightning blade seemed to paralyse Sakura weakly. She could feel her fingers tingle. They started to numb as Raiku's blade was locked with hers once again. She had to get out of this stalemate or she would lose all feeling in her hands.

With her chakra infused strength she pushed the blade back, closer to his face. Slowly Raiku was in danger of numbing himself . He jumped backwards but by this time Sakura's hand had already numbed her sword fell out of her hand and she couldn't locate the lifeless steel.

If only she had her eyesight. Seeing she had drop her sword Raiku's chakra signature seemed to appear right infront of her. He had upped his speed significantly. Sakura had no means to protect herself. All she could do was dodge in and out letting her body take over.

It was then that it happened. In the darkness of Sakura's vision there emerged a bright golden flame. An explosion of colour erupted in front of her disorientated eyes behind the golden flame. Colours so bright they didn't seem real. The colours turned into shapes and her eyes became sharper.

The concentration lapse cost her to be pushed back onto the ground. A lightning blazing sword followed after her, sure to go through her rapidly beating heart if she didn't move immediately. She didn't know if Raiku could stop now, she had been matching him perfectly at high speeds but now she was broken out of her instinctual fighting pattern where he wasn't.

"Raiku!" Sakura heard Yamatori's call for the first time during their fight, it was laden with fear. If it weren't for the trepidation in her tone, the bell-like sound could almost be described as soothing. A lullaby before you die. Not many people were lucky enough to get that before they died. Raiku was broken out of his attack but it was too late.

His sword came down in Sakura's eyes slowly. As if time had cruelly slowed so she could watch her fate clearly. She watched as the sword brushed against her fluttering chest and then, in a split second she moved out of the way.

She had done it. Her instinct had made her move but how had she done it in such blinding speeds. Her eyes were wide as she watched Raiku's blade dig itself into the grass and dirt where Sakura had lain. All in slow motion. And then realised, she wasn't moving with blinding speed. She was just moving normally. It was Raiku who was going slowly. _Surely it would be impossible from the speed he was previously going at..._

Raiku left his blade dug into the dirt and straightened out, to smile at her. He wasn't in slow motion anymore.

"One, two, three... four" He counted.

"What?" Sakura said.

"Your eyes." He smiled his warm crooked smile.

_My eyes, oh my God. I can see again... How is that even possible? _

Yamatori perched herself on Raiku's shoulder. She had turned back into a bird earlier, unable to hold her human form any longer. She seemed just as shocked as Sakura was feeling.

"That's definitely four..." Yamatori echoed.

_What were they talking about?_

"I counted them from the moment it started to mutate. The fully white iris split into two segments then three and finally a fourth one just now."

The Yukihana not only cancelled out the pigment of hair but made a white iris over the top of the coloured one. When it started to mutated the cover iris would start to split into segments called petals. The more petals it split into, the stronger the doujutsu would be. Four wasn't a bad number to start off with.

"I don't know what you're talking about but... I can see!" Sakura said happily, the daze of nearly being killed by Raiku had been overruled by her joy.

The sky was an inky blue hue, the stars were dotting it like diamonds and a quarter moon hung in the sky. The shadowed trees swayed in the chilly breeze of the night. Sakura could see every leaf, each one was different and unique. How could everything be so clear, so define, so _sharp_? It may have been night time but the colours of the green grass, rich brown dirt, blue, white and red tents stood out beautifully.

And what overjoyed was the most was that she could see her guardians. Raiku looked every bit the age old samurai he was. His face was older and handsomer than Sakura had imagined. Yamatori was perched on his shoulder guards in her miniature form. Looking similar to a dove if it weren't for her ebony legs and beak. Sakura then noticed something else. Miniature fires coming from within in them. Raiku had a golden fire which she had seen while fighting him, it reminded her of honor. Yamatori had a gentle blue flame which reminded her of freedom.

"My sight has come back because I've activated my bloodline, hasn't it? But how?" Sakura asked them, hoping they might know.

"The second most basic advantage to the Yukihana is Tori no Me, it means Eye of the Bird. The wielder gains the sight of a bird." Yamatori told her.

"What difference is it from human sight?" Sakura asked, she could see how it was useful to her, but what about someone who could already see.

"Birds have the best sight of all living creatures. We birds actually process the information we see much faster than humans and we can spot movement much better. We can see over double the amount of hues and shades in the colour wheel than humans are capable of. Not to mention we can see ultra-violet light, good for tracking, and we can see magnetic fields." Yamatori said in pride of her species.

Sakura was impressed with that, as long as she kept it activated her vision would be better than other peoples. Why was she seeing fires though?

"What are those fires that I can see inside you?"

"They're our souls. Also a very basic skill the Yukihana enables you with. The fires will only appear when you look for them, just don't think about them." Yamatori explained with her pacifying voice. Just as she had said they disappeared when Sakura ignored them and started thinking about the time. She had been out here for so long and her muscles only now began to ache but it had been worth it.

It had been _so _worth it. Just so long as she didn't go to sleep and then wake up with it gone again.

But she had one last question "Raiku, how did you infuse your sword with lightening?"

He smiled at her "That is a tale for another time." Sakura didn't seem satisfied with this but took it anyway. She was too tired to to think anymore.

"Fuyuko-sama, it's late. You should probably get some rest." Yamatori told her in a motherly fashion. It was very late and Sakura had to perform in front of Chichi's wife in the morning, well technically it was already morning but she still had at least five hours.

"Yeah you're ri-" Sakura ended up yawning halfway through her sentence, she had a feeling she would be tired and very sore tomorrow.

"Me and Raiku will camp a little south of the travelling show and see you in the morning." Yamatori said and Raiku smirked at this.

"Night then." Sakura said with a dozy wave.

"Fuyuko, I congratulate you on your achievement and might I add I haven't had a good fight in many years. Thank you." Raiku said with an acknowledging nod of his head.

"It's okay, I should be saying thanks. Maybe we could it again sometime?" Sakura said happily albeit drowsily.

"I would like that. Good night my daughter." He said just as seriously as before. Sakura smiled at this as did Yamatori thinking he was daft. Yet she said something very similar.

"Sweet dreams, darling." Her voice so peaceful it made Sakura want to fall asleep on her feet. She imagined this might be what it was like to have parents watching over her. Perhaps her real parents were, somewhere. Where they alive or were they looking down on her from the heavens?

* * *

Cold white snow fell from a pleasant sky. There were footsteps marring the untouched snow. It's far too cold to be outside this time of night. Yet the footsteps continue, crunching down upon the pristine snow. The figure wandering in the snow slows down, his breathing hitched and his head lowed but he continues on. He's gasping for breath now, clutching his stomach.

He sees a house in the distance with the lights off. It's the biggest house. He ignores all others, even the ones with lights on. Blood starts to drip from the hands that hold his belly. He goes towards the window. His stomach is leaking blood, staining the frigid snow pink.

He is wearing no shoes, his feet are disgusting. Ripped toenails and skin are apparent on his icy blue feet. The muscle and blood is frozen in place onto the bone. His whole body is blue. Suddenly he starts hitting the window pane to the large house. The curtains are drawn but quickly open. Sakura stares at the rotten face staring back at her through the window. She know she should know him but can't recognize him.

His rotten blue skin begins to turn darker blue and his eyes roll back into his head. Sakura can't help but stand there frozen in place. The man grips his bleeding stomach until eventually it ruptures and spills over the glass pane. It seeps through the window. The man's rotten face hits the window with a thud and he stills. Sakura can see his lifeless expression on his rotten face.

The house oozes blood from its wall and the seemly dead man moves. He's hitting the windows hard and they shatter. Sakura turns to run but she can't, a blue eyed demon with swishing tails and a grinning face is holding her on one side and on the other is a red eyed demon with a ghostly, expressionless face.

She looks to the window and the rotten man is in the room with her. His hand is outstretch to stroke her face but before he can, the red eyed demon set's him on fire. He falls to the floor with blood-curdling screams, burning alive. Sakura gets the feeling he was going toward her for help but its too late now. The blue and red eyed demons are gone and screams can be heard. Women and children are crying. She knows all of them.

The house's walls crumble to reveal fire and smoke around the once nice landscape. There is no snow only red slushy water. All the houses that had stood are now destroyed. The fires are growing and they envelop Sakura too. It's all the demons faults, she wants to kill them. Make them see what sorrow and destruction they caused but the fire takes her too.

* * *

Sakura woke up sweating heavily, she did not scream this time. She knew the nightmares weren't real.

Deciding now would be an okay time to wake up, she got out of her bed. She was tired and her body ached but it didn't matter since she didn't particularly want to jump back into her hot and sweaty bed to have another nightmare.

Sakura got dressed quickly noticing her black cloak in one of the draws. An old shopkeeper came to mind with a crooked back. She felt it was a gift or something from him perhaps. She hadn't worn it very much and it was the only article of clothing which she had brought with her from her old life and into this one. What could it tell her about herself? It looked fairly new or maybe just kept in a good condition. It was a menacing jet black. _Had I always strayed from bright colours? _

_Colours. _Sakura had left her doujutsu activated all night, that must have been why she had two nightmares in a row. Seeing as she was awake now she kept it activated. She wanted to see herself. She quickly found a mirror and started examining herself. _What on Earth..._

She could hardly believe it, she looked so unnatural. Like a witch out of a story book. A beautiful and young witch but still. Her hair was a healthy white. It didn't look like old people hair, just devoid of pigment. It had a shine to it and it was soft to the touch. She couldn't believe how long it was either! She felt as though she hadn't had long hair in a long time, the way it brushed against her back and arms was odd to look at.

She decided she would cut it when she found the time. Just under the chin would do. But that was not what was odd about her, what made her look unnatural was the eyes. They looked like a wind fan slightly or more like a flower and petals. The white petals fanned out from the pupil and the spaces between the petals there was green. Her natural eye colour she assumed as the girls had told her so. It was the same colour green as the diamond mark below her collarbone. Sakura sighed heavily, she would be mistaken for a witch. She knew it.

"Fuyuko-chan?" A timid voice called.

"Come in Rinata-chan!" Sakura said enthusiastically. "Just don't freak out."

"Eep" Rinata let out a little noise and stood stock still as soon as she entered Sakura's adjoining tent room.

"It's me Fuyuko." Sakura said.

"Oh, you look... different." Rinata said rsoftly. "Like an a-angel."

"More like a witch." She snorted, Rinata was too kind sometimes.

"No n-no, really you look l-lovely." Rinata seemed to stare at her wide eyed in wonderment. "Your eyes look like flowers."

Sakura really couldn't take a compliment especially when she thought the opposite, she looked weird, why couldn't Rinata see that too? She speculated she should be thankful she wasn't being thrown out and chased with pitch forks though.

"I kind of miss your hair t-though." Rinata admitted with a small smile. "It was colourful but I guess it's better for ninja to not gather attention." Sakura guessed Rinata knew a little bit about ninja, she had accepted Sakura's change fairly easily. They had talked about it which Chichi at breakfast when she had activated the basic Yukihana at night but that was all. Chichi and Rinata had just accepted it as a ninja thing that they didn't understand and never would.

They talked about the new change today over breakfast again, how Sakura's eyes had mutated. Rinata and her younger siblings occasionally gave complements. One of the little girls remarked her hair looked the same as Rinata's.

In fact it did. It was the same length and almost the same colour. Sakura's was white and the showgirls all had platinum hair. Sakura's new eye-sight could easily detect the color difference but she guess normal people couldn't.

When Ami, Eno and Yenyen arrived they were surprised at the odd woman who looked like them yet had very strange eyes. _Who was she? _When she smiled and they met her eyes, they instantly knew but could fathom what had happened.

"You know certain ninja have bloodlines? Well this is mine." She said in way of explanation as they ventured out to meet Chichi's wife. The early riser of the family. "...I must look horrifically frightening to you guys..." She trailed off, biting her lip.

"To be honest, you look... normal-er. Pink hair and green eyes are really noticeable not to mention unheard of." Ami said indifferently.

"It's just your eyes but it doesn't matter because they're so pretty, I love flowers." Eno said daydreaming. She really did love flowers, the had her own collection of dried flowers from all the places the travelling show had stopped. She always had so many seeds, but living the way she did meant she could never plant them or let them grow outside her tent, they would just be on the move again.

They found Chichi's wife by the animals. She was instructing a trainer on how she wanted a show to go but he was telling her it couldn't be done and that the animals were temperamental. She ignored him and reiterated her request, all he could do was shrug his shoulders and agree then do the opposite when she'd gone to badger someone else.

Sakura saw her for the first time, her red lipstick and caked on powdery foundation that made you sneeze if you got to close... She wasn't ugly but she really didn't need that much make-up unless she was participating as one of the show clowns.

She clasped her hand together when she saw them in fake excitement.

"My little money makers!" She cooed. It was true, the girls ended up making a hefty sum for the travelling show. The only thing matching their income was the animal and acrobatics tent. The girls act invited everyone, from lecherous men to small children or curious couples. It was because their act was dangerous and daring with fluid movements which left you biting yours nails in suspense that gave them that edge.

Chichi's eyes locked onto Sakura.

"Who is this elegant creature?" She beamed.

"It's Fuyuko-chan. You wanted to see her preform with us, to see if she should join." Ami said evenly in explaination.

"Oh." Chichi's wife seemed completely dumbfounded.

"What are those in your eyes, contacts?" She asked crudely.

"Fuyuko's a ninja, it's her bloodline." Yenyen told her. With Ami and Eno nodding.

"Her what..?" Chichi's wife trailed off, the idea of ninja was completely lost on her. There was no point explaining.

They walked towards one of the red and white tents. Sakura had never really been inside one of the show tents before. There were rows and rows of seats. Up front were nicer seats around large table's. Sakura guessed you could order drinks when the shows were in operation. In front of the nicer seats was a stage. The stage was made of panels of glossy varnished wood. Along the side were heavy, thick, red, velvet curtains. Then a second curtain of shiny, crimson silk which hung from the top of the stage's metal frame.

From the viewers position it looked regal but when standing on it you could see it all, how it all fitted together and came apart for when they had to move to a new location. Chichi's wife stayed at the seating area while Sakura stood on stage with the others. Her muscles still ached and she hadn't slept well nor had she trained with them for two days. She hoped she was still in tune with her friends.

Music began to play, it had a specific tempo and beat which told Sakura exactly what dance they would be doing. It was composed for five people and one of the ones they had done a while ago. It involved speed, a lot of speed, because of that it required the trust of the others you were dancing with. If they felt hesitant you could easily end up with a broken limb or cracked in teeth.

It started off slowly, on their own, then they came together weaving in and out of each other slightly gaining pace at each turn. Then faster and faster, tightly knit until one wrong move would send everyone to mess up. It was as though they were all parts of a whole, working alone yet coming together to create something new and then suddenly they were apart. They broke away from each other, each one playing their final move before freezing mid motion. A feat incredibly hard to do when even with such high levels of balance.

It occurred to Sakura, this really was like training. She had been learning to do it while blind which had helped her balance tremendously. It helped with her stamina and how fast she tuned in with someone. She had tuned in with all four of them perfectly, just like she had when fighting with Shinta and then Raiku.

Dancing with them those past weeks in practise had given her the ability to get around blindness. To use her other senses. To hear someone's foot of arm coming towards you by sound alone and dodge with perfect precision. They had made it possible. Had she not been able to those things then she couldn't have been pushed to learn how to activate the Yukihana on her own accord. She owed them her sight, just as she owed Shinta her life. One day it would have to be repaid.

Claps sounded in the near empty tent. Chichi's wife was clapping.

"Bravo, bravo! That was incredible, I am enchanted by your spell." Chichi's wife said and for the first time Sakura believed these were her true feelings. She wasn't trying to achieve something, she just genuinely liked it.

"Fuyuko, I never would have thought I'd find a fifth girl as talented as my girls but I think I just have!" She said with sparkling eyes. "If you keep that up, you'll make me very, very proud!" Sakura had the feeling she meant to say 'If you keep that up, you'll make me lots and lots of money!'

Chichi smothered all the girls in her words of praise, before sending them on their way with the time tables of events. They would have a show here each evening for a week and then they would be going to the next location seeing as they had exhausted this venue. This alarmed Sakura, where would they be going? Would Shinta find them? Would he even bother coming or had he already forgotten about her? Maybe he would come here just in time before they left.

The girls happened to be talking about it which gave Sakura some knowledge.

"I hear we're going to Tea country!" Yenyen said happily.

They usually went to Tea country when there were more tourist there but Chichi had decided otherwise this time round.

"I-isn't that where Shinta's army is based at the moment? Rinata asked quietly. She knew her father would do this just to be closer to his only son. W ho could blame him though, it was only natural that he wanted to be near him whether it be good for the travellers or not.

"I don't want to be near a mercenary army. Euck!" Eno said aloud, disgustedly.

"I bet a few of them will turn up to watch the shows." Yenyen grinned at her friend knowingly.

"Uhg, do you remember last time we were near an army base, perverted freaks." Eno shivered and seemed to brush herself clean.

"Yep, They really liked you." Yenyen giggled and Eno rolled her eyes then made a pose as if to say 'who could blame them'.

And then the smiles on their faces left. They went quiet and Sakura couldn't help but ask why.

Eno raised her hand while Yenyen looked at hers and Rinata started fiddling with her fingers shyly. Sakura looked at Eno's raised hand, at first skipping over what Eno was trying to tell her. There was a diamond ring. On closer inspection they all had rings on their ring finger with Rinata having the biggest diamond. All but Ami that was.

They were engaged.

"It's an arranged marriage that out families set up when we were still kids. When we turn sixteen we can get married."

"But why? Why would you agree to that or want that?" Sakura asked baffled.

"It's just normal in our society and it's not like we can marry outside of the travelling show unless we want to shame or disown our families." Yenyen explained.

"We marry at our families best interest and early. Men seldom ask to marry a woman when she passes the age of twenty here anyway. It's this or stay single forever." Eno said waving her hand casually.

"That's just crazy... What about you Ami?" Sakura asked.

"I haven't got a family so a marriage was never arranged. Not that I want to get married to some I hardly know anyway." She said disinterestedly.

"Your heart is set on someone you can't have." Rinata suddenly said in her quiet manner without any stuttering. She looked at her own ring, it had been given to her by a much older but well off man within the travelling show.

Ami's eyes clouded over and her eyes narrowed at Rinata but she couldn't be mad at her for hitting the nail on the head when she probably felt the same way as her. Sakura couldn't help but know the feeling too. Had she had someone special to her that she couldn't have or was it just because he didn't reciprocate her feelings?

No that was stupid. Ninja weren't weak and neither was she, feelings were disadvantageous. If Sakura felt bad about anything it would be her relationship with these people, but it couldn't be helped. She owed her life to Shinta and she owed her sight to these girls. Still, Sakura felt it would be best to cut her interactions with non-combatants as much as possible. To do so, she would need to kill her emotions or better yet, control them... learn to use them in such a way she could make people act the way she wanted them to.

That would require a talent in acting. Could she do that?

The girls had stopped talking about marriages and just walked in silence until Sakura asked them "Does the travelling show have an acting department?"

"Yep, they operate in the same tent as us." Yenyen told her curious as to why she would want to know that. Perhaps Sakura could learn more than she had thought here. Ninja erased their emotions without realising they could be turned into an asset. To manipulate.

* * *

A platonic face hidden behind a tall collar stared at the image in front of him. The leader's projected, shadowy form informed them of their next task. After fulfilling a few more fund-raising missions in the south where the civilians resided it was time to move. They would be traveling back north through Tea country then following the coast line into Lightening where they would capture the Nibi.

The other members would be targeting their respective demons soon too. Currently they were spread out in different parts of the continent.

The room they were in now was a dingy, dark, hotel room. The three occupants became two as the projection of their leader disappeared.

"Ready to catch some pussy, Itachi?" The large man who looked more shark than man said, showing his sharp filed teeth. The two-tailed Nibi would be one of the easier demons to catch but the bigger man was eager for a proper fight.

Itachi didn't react to his bigger and frighting looking partner.

He just wanted to get the fund-raising missions over. The cold weather here was not helping his poor health. "Let's go Kisame."

* * *

A/N: *Takes in large breath* (I have a lot to say) Urgh the typos, they'll be ironed out one day, just not today. Where is Itachi? I dunno to be honest. It's ItaSaku because that's the pairing in the end, it's not generally about Itachi. I'll bring him in more after something sad happens (Well I find it sad, you guys might not care) Oh and he'll be in the next chapter too ;D

Sorry the chapters have been so bad, I'm rushing them again.

P.S: I've decided the Haruno side will play a small part in Sakura's life. An inheritance of sorts.

PP.S: Fire, Ice, what? Hahaha, I was thinking something less cool. Sakura doesn't seem like a fire type, more of a healer, and what do healers need most? Defense. Yep thats right, she reminds me of boring dirt, earth. It's a great defense affinity, also it will come in handy with her inheritance.

PPP.S: I will be posting the Yukihana abilities on my profile because I always forget and ofc so you guys can look.

Thanks to all those who have read and reviewed ~ JAG


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